The ruler and his attendants

The ruler is welcoming the people in front of him. The ruler seems to be making a welcoming gesture with his right hand. This would seem fitting if not for the fact that other rulers consistently hold a cup or flower in their hand in such settings. Such rulers are rarely depicted empty-handed.

An attendant or guard generally stands behind the ruler, with attendants often holding a fly whisk or an umbrella. An attendant is shown here. The object he holds has defied interpretation to date. Scholars have suggested that it represents a large pan, a big jar with a straw, or an upturned fly whisk, but none of these interpretations have known parallels in other images or archaeology. Is this a unique object, a strange way to display a known attribute, or the creativity of a modern forger who added this detail to add to the uniqueness of the shield?