Snaffle Bit
The domestication of the horse was a major turning point in human history. For agriculture but also warfare the possession of a horse provided undeniable material advantages. The bits adopted by early riders to control the animal were initially made of organic materials such as horn and bone. With the advent of metallurgy, bits were increasingly made of cast bronze and iron. This snaffle bit is remarkable for the presence of ornament on the branches, which takes the form of a pattern of scales.
Artwork Details
- Title: Snaffle Bit
- Date: ca. 250 BCE
- Culture: Chinese
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: H. 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm); W. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm); Wt. 14.6 oz. (413.9 g)
- Classification: Equestrian Equipment-Bits
- Credit Line: Gift of George D. Pratt, 1932
- Object Number: 32.50
- Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor
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Chinese
4th–3rd century BCE
Thracian or Anatolian
3rd century BCE
Vietnamese
ca. 5th–2nd century BCE
Scythian or Sarmatian
4th–2nd century BCE
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