An Evaluation of the “Luristan Bronzes” in Istanbul University Rıdvan Çelikel Archaeology Museum (IURAM) in Comparison to the Luristan Bronzes Found in Archaeological Excavations

Luristan bronzes have been of popular interest for European museums and private collectors since the early 20th century, when archaeological expeditions to the region also began. Despite ongoing archaeological excavations in Luristan, illicit digging and large-scale looting of cemeteries continued, as did the purchasing of artifacts by museums and private collectors around the world. These circumstances present a great impediment to the systematic study, typological classification, and chronological assessment of Luristan bronzes. Prof. Mehmet Özdoğan (pers. comm.) informs us that the Luristan bronzes housed in the IURAM were purchased by Kurt Bittel from a private collector named Hans von Aulock in the 1960s and were donated to the university. In this study, artifacts registered as “Luristan bronzes” in the IURAM collections are evaluated in the light of results from archaeological excavations conducted in the Luristan Province of Iran. Unfortunately, systematic excavations are scanty in the region. Excavations at Pusht-i Kuh, Surkh-i Dum, and Sangtarashan, however, have yielded notable finds.