Scythian Quiver Attachment with Animals and Birds. 7th-6th century B.C. A cross-shaped bronze quiver cover with schematic bird heads at the ends; three figures of contorted beasts worked in relief and another one within a circle at the centre, a band of triangles at the base. Cf. Artamanov, M.I., Treasures from the Scythian Tombs, London, 1969, fig.34, from Olbia; Polidovych, Yu. B., ‘Scythian cross-shaped pendants’ in Russian, in ??????????, 1, 2000, pp.35-48; Hellmuth, A., ‘Zur Datierung der kreuzförmigen Goryt und Bogen-taschenbeschläge’, in Prähistorische Zeitschrift, 82, 2007, pp.66-84; Patay, R., Scholtz, R., Scard, A., ‘Scythian Age quiver mount from the outskirts of Gyömr? (Hungary)’ in Studia Historica Nitriensia, Supplementum, Nitra, 2017, pp.469-480, pl.II. 114 grams, 11.3 cm high (4 1/2 in.) German art market, 1990s. Mr A.H., a North American collector living in the UK. Accompanied by an archaeological report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate no.11231-189037. The Scythians typically employed representations of eagles or lions as decorative motifs on their military items. In the Eurasian Steppes, stories of bird wives have been recorded, and many shamans identified themselves strongly with birds. Their relations with bird spirits were often conceived as a love affair of sorts. These cruciform plaques, used most probably for quiver attachments, could be regarded as typical objects of the Olbian manufacture. However, this kind of quiver attachments were found in various Scythian barrows, in Hungary, Romania, and other Caucasian and East-European regions. In particular the most comparable specimen with our plaque is a plate from Arma?oaia (Romania). [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website]

Very fine condition.