SCYTHIAN GILDED MEDALLION DEPICTING A GRIFFIN WITH INLAID EYES

Ca. 600 - 300 BC.
A Scythian gold gilded bronze medallion depicting a griffin. The griffin is depicted in a naturalistic manner facing left in a flat frame. In Achaemenid art, griffins were commonly depicted as guardians or protectors, often adorning the thrones, palaces, and ceremonial regalia of Persian rulers. These mythical creatures were believed to possess attributes of both lions and eagles, symbolising the king's dominion over both the terrestrial and celestial realms.
Size: 35mm x 35mm; Weight: 15g
Provenance: Prince collection, 1990s-2014, acquired in 2008 from a UK private collection formed in the 1970s to 1990s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.