This small hand axe was swung in battle during the age of the biblical patriarchs. Caught up in its graceful sculptural beauty, it is easy to forget it was once a lethal  More »

This small hand axe was swung in battle during the age of the biblical patriarchs. Caught up in its graceful sculptural beauty, it is easy to forget it was once a lethal weapon of war. We can only guess at its past, what dark deeds it might have been witness to. Time seems to have made these things unimportant. The wars and battles that caused men to fight with such weapons are long forgotten. Such an object, reduced to a linear purity, helps put things in perspective. - (FZ.241)   « Less

This elegant weapon first saw the heat of battle in the time of the biblical patriarchs. Attached to a wooden shaft, it would have been part of the hand arms of a warrior.  More »

This elegant weapon first saw the heat of battle in the time of the biblical patriarchs. Attached to a wooden shaft, it would have been part of the hand arms of a warrior. Time has numbed its lethal edge and covered it with the green patina of age. Its graceful form lends it a sculptural purity that negates its function. We can admire its beauty as a work of art rather than as a dangerous weapon of war. - (FZ.242)   « Less

The invention of bronze changed the face of ancient technology. Men soon discovered that this alloy of copper and tin produced stronger tools of war, and soon all the great  More »

The invention of bronze changed the face of ancient technology. Men soon discovered that this alloy of copper and tin produced stronger tools of war, and soon all the great armies of the Near East carried bronze weapons. This splendid dagger or short sword would have seen battle duty about the time of the Biblical patriarchs. Though its antiquity is evident, its linear simplicity gives it a contemporary appeal. - (FZ.245)   « Less

The Bronze Age was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for  More »

The Bronze Age was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast bronze. The Bronze Age forms part of the three-age system for prehistoric societies. In that system, it follows the Neolithic in some areas of the world. In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the Neolithic is directly followed by the Iron Age. The place and time of the invention of bronze are controversial, and it is possible that bronzing was invented independently in multiple places. The earliest known tin bronzes are from what is now Iran and Iraq and date to the late 4th millennium BC, but there are claims of an earlier appearance of tin bronze in Thailand in the 5th millennium BC. Arsenical bronzes were made in Anatolia and on both sides of the Caucasus by the early 3rd millennium BC. Some scholars date some arsenical bronze artefacts of the Maykop culture in the North Caucasus as far back as the mid 4th millennium BC, which would make them the oldest known bronzes, but others date the same Maykop artefacts to the mid 3rd millennium BC. The Bronze Age in the Near East is divided into three main periods (the dates are very approximate): • EBA - Early Bronze Age (c.3500-2000 BC) • MBA - Middle Bronze Age (c.2000-1600 BC) • LBA - Late Bronze Age (c.1600-1200 BC) Metallurgy developed first in Anatolia, modern Turkey. The mountains in the Anatolian highland possessed rich deposits of copper and tin. Copper was also mined in Cyprus, Egypt, the Negev desert, Iran and around the Persian Gulf. Copper was usually mixed with arsenic, yet the growing demand for tin resulted in the establishment of distant trade routes in and out of Anatolia. The precious copper was also imported by sea routes to the great kingdoms of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The invention of bronze changed the face of ancient technology. Men soon discovered that this alloy of copper and tin produced stronger tools of war, and soon all the great armies of the Near East carried bronze weapons. This splendid dagger would have seen battle duty about the time of the Biblical patriarchs. - (Z.0741)   « Less

Alabaster Mace Head - LO.1207 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 3.5" (8.9cm) high x 2.25" (5.7cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: New  More »

Alabaster Mace Head - LO.1207 Origin: Egypt Circa: 1600 BC to 1100 BC Dimensions: 3.5" (8.9cm) high x 2.25" (5.7cm) wide Collection: Egyptian antiquities Style: New Kingdom   « Less

The Bronze Age was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for  More »

The Bronze Age was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast bronze. The Bronze Age forms part of the three-age system for prehistoric societies. In that system, it follows the Neolithic in some areas of the world. In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the Neolithic is directly followed by the Iron Age. The place and time of the invention of bronze are controversial, and it is possible that bronzing was invented independently in multiple places. The earliest known tin bronzes are from what is now Iran and Iraq and date to the late 4th millennium BC, but there are claims of an earlier appearance of tin bronze in Thailand in the 5th millennium BC. Arsenical bronzes were made in Anatolia and on both sides of the Caucasus by the early 3rd millennium BC. Some scholars date some arsenical bronze artefacts of the Maykop culture in the North Caucasus as far back as the mid 4th millennium BC, which would make them the oldest known bronzes, but others date the same Maykop artefacts to the mid 3rd millennium BC. The Bronze Age in the Near East is divided into three main periods (the dates are very approximate): • EBA - Early Bronze Age (c.3500-2000 BC) • MBA - Middle Bronze Age (c.2000-1600 BC) • LBA - Late Bronze Age (c.1600-1200 BC) Metallurgy developed first in Anatolia, modern Turkey. The mountains in the Anatolian highland possessed rich deposits of copper and tin. Copper was also mined in Cyprus, Egypt, the Negev desert, Iran and around the Persian Gulf. Copper was usually mixed with arsenic, yet the growing demand for tin resulted in the establishment of distant trade routes in and out of Anatolia. The precious copper was also imported by sea routes to the great kingdoms of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. - (LO.1055)   « Less

The Bronze Age was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for  More »

The Bronze Age was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast bronze. The Bronze Age forms part of the three-age system for prehistoric societies. In that system, it follows the Neolithic in some areas of the world. In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the Neolithic is directly followed by the Iron Age. The place and time of the invention of bronze are controversial, and it is possible that bronzing was invented independently in multiple places. The earliest known tin bronzes are from what is now Iran and Iraq and date to the late 4th millennium BC, but there are claims of an earlier appearance of tin bronze in Thailand in the 5th millennium BC. Arsenical bronzes were made in Anatolia and on both sides of the Caucasus by the early 3rd millennium BC. Some scholars date some arsenical bronze artefacts of the Maykop culture in the North Caucasus as far back as the mid 4th millennium BC, which would make them the oldest known bronzes, but others date the same Maykop artefacts to the mid 3rd millennium BC. The Bronze Age in the Near East is divided into three main periods (the dates are very approximate): • EBA - Early Bronze Age (c.3500-2000 BC) • MBA - Middle Bronze Age (c.2000-1600 BC) • LBA - Late Bronze Age (c.1600-1200 BC) Metallurgy developed first in Anatolia, modern Turkey. The mountains in the Anatolian highland possessed rich deposits of copper and tin. Copper was also mined in Cyprus, Egypt, the Negev desert, Iran and around the Persian Gulf. Copper was usually mixed with arsenic, yet the growing demand for tin resulted in the establishment of distant trade routes in and out of Anatolia. The precious copper was also imported by sea routes to the great kingdoms of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. - (LO.1056)   « Less

Origin: Israel Circa: 2700 BC to 2300 BC Dimensions: 5.5" (14.0cm) high Collection: Biblical Antiquities Style: Early Bronze Age Medium: Bronze Condition: Extra Fine

Origin: Israel Circa: 2700 BC to 2300 BC Dimensions: 5.5" (14.0cm) high Collection: Biblical Antiquities Style: Early Bronze Age Medium: Bronze Condition: Extra Fine   « Less

This exquisite weapon was forged at a time when bronze was the most valuable metal, worth far more than gold. Thus the intrinsic value of this object in its own time leads  More »

This exquisite weapon was forged at a time when bronze was the most valuable metal, worth far more than gold. Thus the intrinsic value of this object in its own time leads one to question its function. Was it simply a Spear Head used for hunting or self-defense? Did it serve a higher ritual purpose; we will never know the answer, how ever we can assume that it was cherished in its own time. Not only was the material precious, but also the handle of the implement is decorated with an intricate pattern. What warrior or general might have wielded this weapon in battle? While these questions will remain a mystery, the beauty of this spear head is unquestionable. The Bronze Age was a period in the civilization's development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast bronze. The Bronze Age forms part of the three-age system for prehistoric societies. In that system, it follows the Neolithic in some areas of the world. In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the Neolithic is directly followed by the Iron Age. The place and time of the invention of bronze are controversial, and it is possible that bronzing was invented independently in multiple places. The earliest known tin bronzes are from what is now Iran and Iraq and date to the late 4th millennium BC, but there are claims of an earlier appearance of tin bronze in Thailand in the 5th millennium BC. Arsenical bronzes were made in Anatolia and on both sides of the Caucasus by the early 3rd millennium BC. Some scholars date some arsenical bronze artefacts of the Maykop culture in the North Caucasus as far back as the mid 4th millennium BC, which would make them the oldest known bronzes, but others date the same Maykop artefacts to the mid 3rd millennium BC. The Bronze Age in the Near East is divided into three main periods (the dates are very approximate): • EBA - Early Bronze Age (c.3500-2000 BC) • MBA - Middle Bronze Age (c.2000-1600 BC) • LBA - Late Bronze Age (c.1600-1200 BC) Metallurgy developed first in Anatolia, modern Turkey. The mountains in the Anatolian highland possessed rich deposits of copper and tin. Copper was also mined in Cyprus, Egypt, the Negev desert, Iran and around the Persian Gulf. Copper was usually mixed with arsenic, yet the growing demand for tin resulted in the establishment of distant trade routes in and out of Anatolia. The precious copper was also imported by sea routes to the great kingdoms of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. - (AR.008)   « Less

Origin: Israel Circa: 3300 BC to 2300 BC Collection: Biblical Antiquities Style: Axe

Origin: Israel Circa: 3300 BC to 2300 BC Collection: Biblical Antiquities Style: Axe   « Less