plaque
- Museum number
- 135684
- Description
-
Ceramic relief plaque of a mounted male archer; figure wearing trousers beneath a belted tunic, supported by a horned saddle; drawing a composite bow, wearing a four-lobed sword on his right thigh; pair of phalerae indicated by small relief blobs on the right shoulder and haunch of the horse; the plaque is hollow with a plain back and circular hole in the back; yellowish clay, relatively low fired; made in a two-part mould to form the back and front separately, with visible traces of vertical seam along the edges; complete, but bottom left corner chipped off and missing.
- Production date
- 1stC-3rdC
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 2.10 - 2.20 centimetres (hole in the back)
-
Height: 17 centimetres
-
Weight: 348 grammes
-
Thickness: 4 centimetres
-
Width: 15.60 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- No traces of pigment are visible with the naked eye on this piece.
Parthian horse archers were much feared by the Roman armies and totally destroyed a Roman army at the battle of Carrhae in 53 BC. This archer is shown wearing trousers, tunic and plain belt and supported by a horned saddle. The profile of the bow indicates that it is a powerful type known as a composite bow. This is a Central Asian type probably introduced to the Middle East by the Parthians.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2021 May 27-Oct 24, London, BM SEG, Nero
2012 24 May-30 Sep, London, BM, 'The horse: from Arabia to Royal Ascot'
1995-2005 17 Nov-12 Dec, BM, G52/IRAN/13/22
1994 16 Jun-23 Dec, BM, G49/IRAN, case 13
1975-ca 1990 Jul-Dec, BM, Iranian Room [IR]
- Condition
- Complete, but bottom left corner chipped off and missing
- Acquisition date
- 1972
- Department
- Middle East
- BM/Big number
- 135684
- Registration number
- 1972,0229.1