Horse figurine

Bronze figurine of a horse with extremely schematic rendering of anatomical characteristics. Similar figurines are found frequently in large panhellenic (and smaller local) Greek sanctuaries of the Geometric period. This example is a product of a Peloponnesian workshop (possibly located in Elis) and might have come from the sanctuary of Olympia. The production of cast bronze figurines of votive character began in the first half of the 9th c. BC in major workshops at Argos, Corinth and in Laconia, and minor ones in other regions of the Peloponnese, Central Greece and the islands (especially Crete). They were intended as dedications in sanctuaries and represent male figures (deities, warriors, horsemen, charioteers) and animals (mainly horses and bovines). They are also encountered as decorative devices on handles of bronze votive cauldrons. The host of equine figurines seems to reflect the significance of the horse during the Geometric period, not only as a means of military superiority but also as a symbol of prestige and social status, as attested by the relevant Homeric references and the scenes of battles and ceremonial processions on Geometric vases.