Ivory fragment
Unknown Artist
ca. 9th century BCE
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
1.38 x 0.63 x 0.43 in. (3.51 x 1.6 x 1.09 cm)
Classification
Ivory/Bone-Ornaments
Culture & Period
Iran · Iron Age II, Hasanlu Period IV
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Anonymous Gift, 1969
Accession Number
69.65
Art Historical Context
This delicate ivory fragment, dating to around the 9th century BCE, hails from Iron Age II in ancient Iran, specifically the Hasanlu Period IV. Discovered at the archaeological site of Hasanlu in northwestern Iran, it exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of a vibrant pre-Achaemenid culture. Measuring just 1.38 x 0.63 x 0.43 inches, its diminutive size suggests it was part of a personal ornament, such as jewelry, a furniture inlay, or a ritual object—common uses for ivory in the Ancient Near East. Ivory, sourced from elephant tusks traded across vast networks, was a luxury material symboliz...