5th century B.C.
Gilded silver
H. 7.7 cm, W. 6.5 cm, Depth 2.5 cm
This horse head is thought to be either a fragment of a rhyton, or its finial decoration. The harness is decorated with round designs, and there are four instances of boar tusk-shaped decorative harness elements, a form frequently seen in Achaemenid period arts. The forelock is tied into a round protuberance with ribbons which hang on either side of the forehead. The mane which runs back from this forelock is cropped short, with a long tuft of mane remaining hanging down the left side at the base of the neck. This mane expression is also the typical form seen in Achaemenid period arts. These elements of the mane, harness, eyes, nose and front teeth have been gilded.
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