Head of pin
This is the head of a bronze pin in the form of a demon or supernatural creature, surmounted by a recumbent animal. The demon’s head is framed by two thick lines that meet and form its nose; its eyes are raised pellets. Two loops extend from the top of its head; these probably represent hair curls or horns. A recumbent animal sits on the demon’s head, with its folded legs disappearing behind it. It is impossible to say what kind of animal it is, as both its head and tail are now missing, and its form is stylized.
This pinhead was excavated at Surkh Dum, a settlement site in Luristan in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. It was found in a structure interpreted as a sanctuary and was thus probably an offering to a god. Pins were probably used to fasten clothing and as objects of adornment in their own right.
This pinhead was excavated at Surkh Dum, a settlement site in Luristan in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. It was found in a structure interpreted as a sanctuary and was thus probably an offering to a god. Pins were probably used to fasten clothing and as objects of adornment in their own right.
Artwork Details
- Title: Head of pin
- Period: Iron Age III
- Date: ca. 8th–7th century BCE
- Geography: Iran, Luristan, Surkh Dum
- Culture: Iran
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: 1.38 x 1.89 in. (3.51 x 4.8 cm)
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1943
- Object Number: 43.102.3
- Curatorial Department: Ancient West Asian Art
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ca. 8th century BCE
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ca. 10th–8th century BCE
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ca. 9th century BCE
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