Lot 3
Ancient South Asia, India, Gangetic Plains, Copper Hoard Culture, ca. 1500 to 1000 BCE. A fierce and elegant relic of prehistoric metallurgy, this copper harpoon tip hails from the mysterious Copper Hoard culture of northern India. Its bold silhouette is defined by a long central blade edged with ten sharply projecting barbs, each cast in rhythmic symmetry to evoke both weapon and symbol. The piece terminates in a tapering tang, once fitted to a wooden shaft, transforming it into a potent implement of ritual or ceremony. Fashioned from unalloyed copper and worked by casting and hammering, this harpoon belongs to a distinctive tradition of Bronze Age metalwork that includes antennae-hilted swords, anthropomorphic figures, and celts. Though shaped like functional tools, most objects from this corpus - including this example - show little to no signs of use. Given copper's natural softness and the pristine condition of many finds, scholars widely believe they served a primarily dedicatory role. Size: 10.6" L x 2" W (26.9 cm x 5.1 cm)
Such artifacts have been recovered in hoards across northern India, with the densest concentration found in Uttar Pradesh. Their findspots, often near riverbanks and marshes, suggest ritual deposition in sacred or transitional landscapes. The cultural reach of these forms extended into mortuary contexts as well: related antennae swords were discovered in burials at Sanauli, associated with the late Indus Valley civilization around 1500 BCE. Coated in a striking green patina formed over millennia, this barbed harpoon tip stands not only as a relic of ancient craftsmanship but also as a silent testament to ritual, belief, and the symbolic power of metal in early Indian civilization.
Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005
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#194865
- Condition: Heavy weathering and encrustations with a few chips to tips of spikes, but otherwise, intact and excellent with rich green and russet patina throughout.
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