A fine Luristan bronze spearhead featuring a leaf-shaped blade and a 'rat-tail' tang. The blade features upwards-sloping shoulders and a pronounced central midrib. The stem is long and rounded, flaring at the base. Beneath, a long square-sectioned tang develops, curving sharply at the base and flaring to a wide, flat end. The spearhead features a lovely green patination to the surface. The tang features a slight bend. Some chips to the edges of the blade, particularly on one side, and earthy encrustations throughout. Luristan bronze comes from the province of Lorestan, renowned in antiquity for its sophisticated metal working techniques. Due to the nomadic nature of the populations that settled in the area, none of the Luristan bronzes were of great size, since it was required for them to be light and portable. Excavated items most often included weapons, tools, vessels and finials, but ornamental pieces such as amulets, fittings and jewellery such as pins or bracelets also feature in the material record. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Luristan bronze objects often served ceremonial functions given their funerary contexts, and there are recurring artistic motifs of flora and fauna and the human relationship to each throughout their work. Measurements: L 44.7cm x W 3cm Provenance: Ex. London Collection, formed between 1990 - present.