An Achaemenid Gold Repoussé Plaque, Achaemenid Period, ca. 500 - 330 BCE

This sheet-gold plaque attests to the exceptional skill of Achaemenid goldsmiths and the sophisticated taste and high social status of its original owners.  Greek writers often speak of the tremendous wealth of the Persians, and Herodotus writes that King Xerxes' troops "were adorned with the greatest magnificence...they glittered all over with gold, vast quantities of which they wore about their person" (vii.83).  

Of high karat gold, this example is repousséd with three mythical griffins in profile, surrounding a central boss in raised relief that holds an inlay of bright carnelian.  With their short wings, open beaks, and the incised design on the body, these recumbent lion monsters are similar in style to the only remaining protome at the Achaemenid capital of Persepolis.  According to Herodotus and others, one of the mythic protective functions of griffins in earlier Mesopotamian cultures was to guard treasure and the rich montane gold deposits.  With a suspension loop above, this plaque was most likely worn as a pendant or attached to clothing, and the raised planes of the overall piece would have reflected light and sparkled in the sun, thereby enhancing the wearer's status and power.

Medium:  Gold, carnelian

Dimensions:  Diameter: 4.3 cm (1.69 inches)

Condition:  With minor loss to one edge, overall intact and in good condition.

Provenance:  Henry Anavian Family Collection assembled in the 1960s and then by descent.