England, 12th century CE. This is a gorgeous example of a gilded bronze horse pendant and hanger that would have belonged to a bishop during a fascinating time in English history. The design is an early form of heraldry (which developed throughout the 12th century), with a Greek cross (all sides equal length) combined with elements of the pattée cross style, with larger ends of each cross arm, these inscribed with X's (X of course being the symbol for the Greek letter chi, the first letter in Christ). This cross is surrounded by a quatrefoil frame that calls to mind the cross bottony (botonny) style. During the medieval period, the various straps used to harness horses were decorated elaborately with bells, studs, bosses, pendants, and other metal objects; we know this from images in illuminated manuscripts. Imagine what all of these together must have looked and sounded like -- Chaucer, writing in the 1380s, wrote: "His bridle, when he rode, a man might hear Jingling in a whistling wind as clear,/Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell, Where my lord Monk was Prior of the cell." All of these pendants served both to identify the owner -- with heraldic devices -- and to act as amulets against "the evil eye". Size: 3.5" W x 3.6" H (8.9 cm x 9.1 cm)

Provenance: Ex- Jones Collection, UK acquired on UK art market before 2000

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#112675

Wonderfully intact, with working hinges and most gilding still present;