A Luristan spike butted ceremonial axehead, Early Iron Age, ca. 1200 - 800 BCE Objects of Everyday Use continuing until the end of

continuing until the end of the Ptolemaic Period

Birds supplied rich metaphors for an ability to mediate between all worlds

2003 My Grandmother and Me

1998 Gloria Petyarre

as lapis and carnelian were both regarded as protective and sacred stones in ancient Babylonian culture

A Luristan spike butted ceremonial axehead, Early Iron Age, ca. 1200 - 800 BCE Objects of Everyday Use continuing until the end ofcast using the lost wax method; a spike butted axehead, the short, cylindrical shaft tube with three cords across each side, leading to four short, thick spikes down the rear spine of the socket. The flaring blade has a convex cutting edge, is ridged on both long sides, and is finely decorated with an incised floral and geometric decoration on both sides. Elaborate blades of this sort were used as parade weapons, as votives, and as attributes of cult