Vintage Achaemenid Persian Lion Rhyton Cup Replica in Heavily Gilt Bronze. 

Condition: Some signs of repair, staining, and original patina. 

Size: 5 x 2 3/4 x 4 1/2 in. 

The Achaemenid Persian Lion Rhyton is a gold rhyton from the Achaemenid Empire, dated to about 500 BC. It is 6.7 inches high and made in solid gold, with the different parts joined together by soldering, done so skilfully as to leave no obvious marks. It was excavated in diggings sponsored by the Fletcher Fund in 1954 in southwest Persia and is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, United States. A rhyton is a roughly conical vessel for drinking or pouring out fluids in a ceremony which normally terminates in the shape of an animal’s head or horns, a form common in the Near East and Ancient Greece, and this particular piece has become symbolic of the skill, craftsmanship, and rapid advancements made by mankind during the Bronze Age, both in artistry and in their tools.

Some signs of repair, staining, and original patina. 

All items are sold AS IS. Lot and condition details are for descriptive purposes only. Sarasota Estate Auction is not responsible for errors and/or omissions of condition. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is perfect or free from wear, flaws, or characteristics of age. Please bid according to your own expertise, or request any additional information and/or photographs you deem necessary.