Rowel Spur (Left)
Unknown Artist
first half 18th century
Medium
Iron alloy
Dimensions
L. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm); W. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm); Diam. of rowel 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); Wt. 7.8 oz. (221.1 g)
Classification
Equestrian Equipment-Spurs
Culture
Mexican
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Stephen V. Grancsay, 1942
Accession Number
42.50.295
Art Historical Context
This finely crafted rowel spur from the left foot, dating to the first half of the 18th, exemplifies the robust equestrian equipment essential to colonial Mexican life. Forged from iron alloy, it measures 6½ inches long with substantial 2¾-inch diameter rowel—a spiked wheel designed to urge horses forward during riding, ranching, or maneuvers. Weighing nearly 8 ounces, its sturdy construction reflects the demands of daily use on vast haciendas and rugged terrains of New Spain, where horsemanship was central to both Indigenous and Spanish-influenced cultures. As a piece of Mexican material cul...