Dumbarton Oaks Museum Part 4: The Bronze Horse!

The incredible Bronze Horse from the 2nd Century

 In August we visited the "Dumbarton Oaks Museum."  This is one in a series of blogs to highlight some artifacts we found interesting at the museum. In this blog we'll explore the BRONZE HORSE.  

FAST FACT: This horse sculpture was found in 80 pieces in Yemen.

ABOUT THE HORSE - It was about feet long and 2 feet high (estimation). It was Romano-Arabian and created in the late 2nd to 3rd Century! 

WHY MADE OF CAST BRONZE? According to the placard, the wealth of southwestern Arabia derived from vigorous trade along the land routes between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The connections with the Roman Empire fostered a taste for cast-bronze sculpture, a revered medium in the Mediterranean culture.

IMPORTANCE OF HORSES IN YEMEN, 2ND CENTURY- Horses symbolized status of the elite. Horses were also associated with Alexander the Great and the Roman Gods Castor and Pollux.

NEXT: Who was Hephaesteus?