Iron age Bronze statuette of a bull - 41 mm

"Iron Age Bronze Statuette of a Bull

Culture / Period: Iron Age
Date / Period: 1200–1000 B.C.
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 41 mm
Condition: Good condition

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 725
The current owner purchased this object from a reputable Dutch numismatic auction house in Schiedam, the Netherlands. Due to privacy regulations, the name of the previous owner could not be disclosed. No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This small bronze statuette depicts a stylised bull, an animal that occupied a prominent place in the symbolism of many ancient Near Eastern societies during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. Bulls were widely associated with strength, fertility, authority, and protection, and frequently appeared in religious, ceremonial, and decorative contexts.

Bronze animal figurines of this type were produced by skilled craftsmen using established casting techniques that had developed over many centuries. Such figures may have served as votive offerings, personal devotional objects, or decorative fittings associated with elite equipment or ritual practices. While the precise purpose of individual examples cannot always be determined, they reflect a well-established artistic tradition in which animals held both symbolic and cultural significance.

During the Iron Age, bronze-working remained an important craft throughout the ancient Near East. Workshops produced a wide variety of cast objects, including weapons, horse harness fittings, ornaments, and small animal figures. These objects circulated through regional trade and exchange networks, contributing to the spread of artistic styles and technological knowledge across neighbouring cultures.

Dating to approximately 1200–1000 B.C., this statuette belongs to a period of transition and innovation in the ancient Near East, when bronze craftsmanship continued to flourish alongside the increasing use of iron. It forms a tangible connection to the ancient world, where objects of this kind reflected both everyday beliefs and long-standing symbolic traditions."