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Persian Horse and Rider Figure browse these categories for related items... All Items: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Near Eastern: Pre AD 1000: item # 590606
Janus Antiquities By Appointment New Jersey (330) 612-3957 Guest Book $550 |
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Persian horse and rider figures are characterized by a hand-made horse and a rider with a hand-made body and mold-made face. Figures belonging to this category are found at a number of Near Eastern sites, and evidence suggests that they were produced from the Neo-Babylonian period (ca. 626 B.C.) through the end of the Parthian period (ca. 224 A.D.). Unfortunately, the criteria used for distinguishing earlier from later examples is quite vague, with most attributed to the Parthian period. As is typical, from the front, the figure appears very narrow and flat, and the bodies of animal and rider flow smoothly into one another. The rider wears a soft cap that flops to the side, but the rest of his garments are not rendered.
Persian armies always relied heavily upon mounted soldiers, and horse and rider figures have been recovered in the remains of both urban settings and military camps. The Parthians in particular employed cavalry to great success, holding off repeated invasions of Roman armies that depended primarily on heavy infantry between 53 B.C. and 224 A.D. For a discussion of the issues with dating these figures, see Barrelet, "Figurines et reliefs en terre cuite de la Mesopotamie antique" and Salles, "Failaka, Fouilles francaises 1984-1985." For similar figures, see Elayi, "Deux 'ateliers' de coroplastes nord-pheniciens et nord-syriends sous l'empire perse." AGE: ca. 626 B.C. - 224 A.D. CONDITION: Multiple breaks to the legs of the horse have been repaired with restoration over the breaklines and to the "hooves" to restore standing stability. Appears choice and is a very nice and sizable example of the type. DIMENSIONS: 6" tall (15.24 cm) |
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