Achaemenid Lion Drachm Earrings

At its height, the Achaemenid Empire stretched across an extraordinary expanse of the ancient world, from the eastern Mediterranean deep into Asia. Its rulers governed a vast network of peoples, cities and provinces connected by roads, trade and imperial administration.

Among the objects that survive from this world are the small silver coins that once passed from hand to hand across the empire.

One particularly rare coin type, dating to the early–mid 4th century BC, depicts the powerful forepart of a lion on its obverse. It is attributed broadly to the period from Artaxerxes II to Darios III and was struck at an uncertain mint in western Asia Minor.

On the reverse, a Persian king or hero appears in the characteristic kneeling-running stance, wearing a kidaris and kandys, with a quiver over his shoulder. He carries a spear in one hand and a bow in the other.

Despite the tiny scale of the original silver coin, the lion dominates its surface. Its muscular head and body were reduced to a strong, immediately recognisable image capable of surviving the force of the ancient striking process.

The Achaemenid Lion Drachm Earrings were created exclusively by Shinar Jewels for the British Museum’s Luxury and power: Persia to Greece exhibition.

The exhibition explored the extraordinary objects, precious materials and visual language of luxury that connected the Persian and Greek worlds. For Shinar Jewels, the ancient lion offered a compelling way to transform the imagery of Achaemenid Persia into something that could once again be carried close to the body.

Each earring preserves the textured character of an ancient struck coin, with the lion emerging from an irregular golden surface rather than a perfectly polished modern medallion.

More than two thousand years after its image was first struck into silver, the lion of Achaemenid Persia appears again — this time in gold.

The lion of ancient Persia, struck again in gold.