Rowel Spur (Left)

The neck of this spur, holding the rowel, is decorated with pierced vegetal scrolls and a small bird in relief at the junction with the heel. The outer side of the heel band, on the left, is carved with a pierced diamond-shaped niche in which an animal is seated, possibly a monkey, holding a fruit in its hands.

While the pierced decoration is influenced by the importation, via Spain, of horse equipment made in Southern Germany in the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as by Chinese textiles, 18th-century Mexican spurs like this example, in addition to bits and stirrups, often feature native designs and animals, such as birds, dogs, and monkeys.

Although less impressive than some oversized contemporary examples, this spur and its lost mate would have probably been used during ceremonies and festivals as a mark of status, speaking to the importance of horses in traditional Mexican society.