A finely cast and hammered copper alloy blade. The piece features a long leaf-shaped blade with a central midrib, and a short, flattened, broken tang. The surface is covered with very thick azurite patination with some earth encrustations remaining. There are some small chips along the edges of the blade and the surface. Copper blade with extremely thick mineral patina in layers, first crystalized red patina, later green malachite and blue azurite patina. Metal almost entirely mineralized, only a few millimeters of the core left. Before 1600 BC. Alloy with minute iron content, lightly magnetic
Luristan bronzes represent one of the most distinctive metalworking traditions of the ancient Near East. The Lorestan Province of western Iran was renowned for sophisticated lost-wax casting and alloy control. The semi-nomadic peoples of the Zagros Mountains produced weapons of remarkable quality combining functional utility with artistic expression.
