Lot 161: A PERSIAN QAJAR SILVER INLAID STEEL BULL-HEADED CEREMONIAL MACE (GORZ), 19TH CENTURY

A 19th-century Qajar Persian ceremonial mace, also known as a Gorz or Gurz-i Gawsar, featuring a finial in the form of a bull head. This specific iconography refers to the legendary ox-headed mace wielded by the hero Fereydun in the Persian national epic, the Shahnameh. The mace is constructed from forged steel with a dark, oxidised finish. The bull head is realistically modelled with upward-curving horns, flared ears, and open nostrils. The surface of the head is decorated with silver damascening, known as koftgari, featuring dense geometric lozenge patterns on the muzzle and stylised scrolling foliate motifs on the forehead and crown. The head is joined to a long, cylindrical steel haft that terminates in a simple rounded pommel.

L: 73cm