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Finial for Ceremonial Staff with Pair of Ibexes

Artwork Tombstone
CultureLor
TitleFinial for Ceremonial Staff with Pair of Ibexes
Date12th–9th century BCE
MediumBronze
DimensionsObject: 5 5/8 × 3 1/8 × 13/16 in. (14.3 × 7.9 × 2.1 cm)
Overall: 5 5/8 × 3 1/8 × 13/16 in. (14.3 × 8 × 2.1 cm)
Credit LineEskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number64.109.21
This artwork is currently on view.
Finial is formed with two ibexes, standing upright and facing one another. Forms are stylized and curvilinear.

Finial is formed with two ibexes, standing upright and facing one another. Forms are stylized and curvilinear.

The Lurs, a nomadic people, made their home in a mountainous region in western Persia (modern Iran). They are known for their skilled metalwork and their horses. This bronze finial was originally placed on top of an elaborate staff that was probably used for public ceremonies. The two ibexes central to the abstract design are arranged symmetrically. Naturalistic elements, however, are also included and reveal the artist's close observation of these wild mountain goats.

Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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Cite this page
"Finial for Ceremonial Staff with Pair of Ibexes | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=64.109.21