The needle has a long shaft with a profiled decorative zone below the needle head, which is rendered in the form of a stylised duck with its head bent back. More than the upper third of the slender needle shaft has a square design and is composed of several decorative elements in the decorative zone: in the lower area, three grooves have been created in the casting, giving the two spaces in between a bead-like appearance. Above this is a somewhat larger plate on which a narrower double cone rests, which is given a striped pattern by vertical grooves. Above this are two prominent small plates and a repetition of the double cone, which appears twice, one above the other.
Above and below this zone of beads, small plates and double cones are triangular grooves tapering towards each other.
The pin head was formed in the shape of a stylised duck with its head tilted back. The body of the duck is rendered as a flat triangular plate, at the upper end of which a round sculpted neck bends at a 90° angle and the curved head with broad beak rests on the body, bent backwards.
A comparable needle with a head design in the shape of a "sleeping duck" was uncovered in the sanctuary of Surkh Dum-i-Luri (Schmidt/van Loon/Curvers. 1989. The Holmes Expeditions to Luristan [Chicago], pl. 172 q). This type was represented here several times (Schmidt/van Loon/Curvers. 1989. The Holmes Expeditions to Luristan [Chicago], pl. 172 h-t).
Dating: Early Iron Age
(Text: S. Arnhold)
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