EARLY GREEK / WESTERN ASIATIC DAGGER WITH GUARD WITH ANIMAL-SHAPED FINIALS. Ca. 1200 - 800 BC. A bronze dagger with a double-edged blade tapering to a sharp point. The blade is defined by a prominent central ridge running along its length. The lower part of the blade is cast into a broad guard with outwardly curved terminals, each terminating in a stylised animal-head finial. The hilt extends downward from the guard and features a textured pattern along its length. The grip ends in a hemispherical pommel. Size: 320mm x 40mm; Weight: 255g Provenance: Private UK collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter. This piece is accompanied by a historical report from Alessandro Neri, an international Cultural Heritage expert based in Florence, Italy.