The silver bowl shown in the image is a remarkable masterpiece of early Persian metalwork, dating to approximately the 7th century BCE, during the formative period that preceded the rise of the Achaemenid Empire. This artifact was discovered in northwestern Iran, near the Lake Urmia region, an archaeological zone known for elite burials and ceremonial objects belonging to early Iranian tribes. The bowl stands out not only for its exceptional craftsmanship but also for its vivid portrayal of Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity of Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions.

The bowl is crafted entirely from high-purity silver, shaped using the ancient metalworking techniques of repoussé and chasing. Repoussé involves hammering the metal from the reverse side to create raised forms, while chasing shapes and refines the details from the front. These techniques required extraordinary skill, precision, and an intimate understanding of metal behavior. The surface of the bowl features narrative scenes rendered in exquisite relief: a series of gently flowing lines symbolize the cosmic waters or the layered structure of the world, while human figures march in ceremonial procession below. At the center floats a majestic winged deity, unmistakably representing Ahura Mazda, depicted with a halo, flowing garments, and wide, feathered wings stretching across the entire panel. This depiction aligns with early Zoroastrian iconography in which Ahura Mazda embodies divine truth, cosmic order, and the eternal light.

The figures beneath the deity include warriors, priests, and attendants, each distinguished by their attire and posture. Their presence suggests a ritual or royal procession, possibly portraying an initiation ceremony, a funerary journey, or a symbolic act of devotion to the divine. On one side of the bowl, a pair of figures appears beside a creature rising from stylized waves, which may represent a mythical guardian or a symbolic spirit of the waters. This visual narrative reveals how the early Persians interpreted the relationship between humanity, the supernatural world, and the cosmic order.

The bowl likely served as a ritual object, rather than a household vessel. Its imagery strongly suggests use in libation ceremonies, during which priests poured offerings of wine, milk, or sacred liquids to honor the gods. Such rituals were central to Zoroastrian worship, emphasizing purification, reverence for fire, and the maintenance of cosmic balance. The bowl may also have been placed in a high-status burial, symbolizing the soul’s journey toward the light of Ahura Mazda and the triumph of righteousness over chaos. For modern scholars, the bowl provides invaluable insight into ancient religious traditions, revealing how early Iranian peoples conceptualized morality, divine power, and the structure of the universe—ideas that later influenced Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The discovery of the bowl occurred in 1968 during an archaeological expedition jointly conducted by the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization and researchers from the University of Pennsylvania. The excavation team was led by Professor Robert H. Dyson, a distinguished archaeologist renowned for his work at the site of Hasanlu. The team uncovered the silver bowl within a partially collapsed rock chamber that formed part of a larger burial complex. Because the chamber was sealed by a natural rock fall in antiquity, many of the items inside—including the bowl—were preserved in exceptionally good condition. After its recovery, metallurgical analyses confirmed that the silver came from mines historically ᴀssociated with early Iranian metallurgy, further validating the artifact’s authenticity and age.

The bowl is now housed in the National Museum of Iran, where it is displayed as one of the finest surviving examples of pre-Achaemenid Persian art. Scholars, historians, and visitors alike admire it not only for its beauty but also for its profound cultural significance. Every detail—every fold of the deity’s robe, every feather of the wings, every gesture of the human figures—speaks to a worldview that placed moral order and divine truth at the center of human existence. The bowl encapsulates the essence of early Iranian spirituality: a belief in the eternal struggle between light and darkness, in the responsibility of mankind to uphold righteousness, and in the guiding presence of a supreme creator.

For humanity today, the silver bowl stands as a testament to the continuity of religious ideas across millennia. It reminds us that even in ancient times, people expressed complex philosophical and spiritual concepts through art. It demonstrates how craftsmanship, devotion, and symbolism merged to produce objects that transcended mere function. And it offers a rare, tangible link to a civilization whose ideas helped shape the moral and theological foundations of the modern world.

This single piece of silver, hammered and shaped by a craftsman nearly three thousand years ago, continues to speak across time. It tells the story of a people striving to understand their place in the cosmos, honoring their deity, and recording their beliefs in the enduring language of art. Its survival allows us to witness the brilliance of early Persian culture and to appreciate the profound role that objects like this played in connecting the living with the divine.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

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November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.