The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Horse Bit with Winged Ibex Cheekpieces

800–600 BCE

Iran, Luristan

bronze, cast and incised
Overall: 23.6 cm (9 5/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1980.102
Location: 102A Ancient Near East

Did You Know?

Fantastical creatures such as winged ibexes and sphinxes often appear in Luristan bronzes.

Description

This cast bronze horse bit joins two cheekpieces in the form of winged ibexes striding forward with turned heads. Incised lines decorate their curved horns and feathered wings. Rings penetrating their bodies hold the metal bit, while smaller rings on the hollow, unworked inner sides (behind the heads and hindquarters) may have held straps to secure the bit over the horse’s face. This work is said to be from Luristan, a region in western Iran known for its creation of bronze weapons, horse trappings, and standards in the Iron Age.
  • Lee, Sherman E. “The Year in Review for 1980.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 68, no. 6 (June 1981): 163–219. Reproduced: p. 184; Mentioned: p. 211, no. 3 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1991. Reproduced: p. 7 archive.org
  • Year in Review: 1980. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (June 24-July 19, 1981).
  • {{cite web|title=Horse Bit with Winged Ibex Cheekpieces|url=false|author=|year=800–600 BCE|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1980.102