Bronze horse bit

Late Villanovan

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 170

Solid cast, with twisted mouthpiece terminating in heavy rings that orgianlly held the guide reins. The ends are flanked with open work cheek pieces depicting stylized horses with a smaller horse standing on its croup and two small birds below.

An almost identical horse bit was discovered recently in the Tomb of the Warrior of Poggio alle Croci in Volterra. Several examples of this type, with elaborate cheekpieces depicting horses and ducks, are associated with Volterra, a likely place of manufacture.

Bronze horse bit, Bronze, Late Villanovan

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