Fragment of a Horse

Art Historical Context

This delicate earthenware fragment, depicting part of a horse, hails from Central Asia in the early 12th century—a time when nomadic and Islamic cultures flourished along the Silk Road. Horses held immense cultural significance in the region, symbolizing speed, power, and status among warriors, traders, and steppe peoples. Likely part of a larger figurine or decorative object, this small sculpture (just 2¾ x 2¼ inches) captures the animal's graceful form with simple, expressive modeling, evoking the vital role of equine companions in daily life and mythology. Crafted from earthenware—a fired ...