8th century BC. A bronze helmet of conical form made in one piece, a raised groove to the front, three arched ribs with round terminals above the brim resembling eyebrows, chased royal lion motif above, the central rib from helmet's apex with a stylised animal; a row of pierced holes for the fastening of a leather lining to the edges; mounted on a custom-made stand. See Borchardt, J., Homerische Helme: Helmenformen der Ág?is in ihren Beziehungen zu orientalischen und europäischen Helmen in der Bronze-und frühen Eisenzeit, Mainz, 1972; Born H., Seidl U., Schutzwaffen aus Assyrien und Urartu, Sammlung Axel Guttmann IV, Mainz, 1995; Christie’s,The art of the warfare, the Axel Guttmann collection, Part I, Wednesday 6 November 2002, London; Christie’s,The art of the warfare, the Axel Guttmann collection, Part II, Wednesday 28 April 2004, London, 2004; Dezs?, T., Near Eastern Helmets of the Iron Age, (British Archaeological Reports, S992), Oxford, 2001. 2.1 kg total, 48cm including stand (19"). Property of a London gentleman; believed to be ex Guttmann collection; accompanied by an archaeological report by military specialist Dr. Raffaele D'Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10197-167081. In literature, these helmet are identified with the general word for helmet ( Gurpisu), and especially with the word Karbatullu. This specimen is a rare example of a helmet of this typology with multiple rim-holes for the attachment of a lining fabric, although this would have been normal for most Urartian helmets. The lion figure, also visible on Assyrian or Urartian helmet fragments preserved in the British Museum, is usually connected with the goddess Ishtar, supporter of Assyrian royal power.