Cleveland Museum of Art

Horse Bit with Winged Ibex Cheekpieces

Date

800–600 BCE

Medium

bronze, cast and incised

Culture

Iran, Luristan

Department

Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This cast bronze horse bit joins two cheekpieces in the form of winged ibexes striding forward with turned heads. Incised lines decorate their curved horns and feathered wings. Rings penetrating their bodies hold the metal bit, while smaller rings on the hollow, unworked inner sides (behind the heads and hindquarters) may have held straps to secure the bit over the horse’s face. This work is said to be from Luristan, a region in western Iran known for its creation of bronze weapons, horse trappings, and standards in the Iron Age. Fantastical creatures such as winged ibexes and sphinxes often appear in Luristan bronzes.

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