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ARTICLES

Horse-Human Co-Burial in ‘Theatres of Closure’: Emotive Power Engaging a More Equinecentric Perspective

Fenella Eason

Abstract 

Horses have long been central cast members in human funerary performances, coerced into dramatic exhibitions of death enlivened by the power of emotion and sensory engagement. An interpretive, postprocessual approach is used here to explore and reflect on the emotive impact of horse-human shared interment, inviting more equine-centred rather than purely anthropocentric perspectives to be advanced in archaeology’s recording of the positioning and purpose of horses in human burial practices. Three case studies from the Iron Ages of Inner Asia and Eastern Yorkshire, UK, and from the Scandinavian Viking Period, highlight whole bodied equine sacrifice induced by human exploitative behaviours toward species inhabiting the same social spaces. Involuntary death and deposition in human graves are not prevented by equine agency or sentience, whether the horses are considered companions for after-life existences, symbols of human wealth, or objects of reverence. Hermeneutic studies of multispecies burials, their mortuary contexts, active and emotive procedures before and after death, may strengthen ongoing research into our understanding of animal sacrifice in prehistoric and pre-Christian funerary rites.

Cavalry During the Middle Byzantine Period: The Case of Anna Komnene

Alexia-Foteini Stamouli

Abstract 

Anna Komnene was the only female historian of the Byzantine period. Her work entitled Alexiad refers to her father, emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118). The subject of this paper is the cavalry-related references in the text of Komnene. Cavalry played a very important role in many battles during that time and it was used by the Romans and their allies, as well as by their opponents. Care was therefore taken to transport the horses and maintain them. All equine-related activities are further examined.  

St. James Pilgrim on Horseback. Some Representations in Art in Italy

Davide Dal Bosco

Abstract 

The figure of St. James on horseback is the version of the saint that is most exploited by historical research. Similarly to St. George or other warrior saints, as is common in the Eastern churches, the Saint is usually represented on a white horse with the banner with the cross of St. James in one hand and the sword in the other; under the horse’s legs appear figures of Muslims or figures of young girls. This is the classic iconography of Santiago matamoros. This paper focusses on it the representations of St. James as a pilgrim on horseback, but not in the military sense, rather in the version where he is depicted in the cycle of the Saint’s miracles or in other guises.

Biographies of Medieval Equids and the Application of the Prosopographical Method

Afonso Soares de Sousa

Abstract 

This paper aims to demonstrate the potential of studying horses by using the prosopographical method. To that end, we present a set of biographies, obtained via the application of a standard questionnaire, of some of the equines from the stables of King Manuel I of Portugal (r. 1495-1521). These biographies serve as a sample of how various aspects of these animals’ lives can be explored and, ultimately, how applying this methodology may allow us to reconstruct the profile of this population of domesticated animals that inhabited Portugal between the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. 

The History of the Northeastern Horse: The First Brazilian Breed

Euzeli Cipriano dos Santos Jr.

Abstract 

The origins of the first Brazilian horse breed (Northeastern horse) will be investigated. The assessment considers written historical documents, accounts of firsthand testimonies, visual records, and equine genetics to ascertain its origins. The common believe that the Northeastern horse was originated from three well known breeds will be challenged. The evidence suggests that the pony Garrano did not play a role on the foundation of this breed. It will be demonstrated that the bloodline of the African horses in Brazil can be attributed to the existing population of horses in Portugal that already had infusion of African bloodline. Additionally, the paper will highlight the significance of the Caatinga biome in shaping the characteristics and overall formation of the Northeastern horse.

“Des chevaux qui nous seroient des souches pour l’avenir”: Perfecting Breeds at the Royal Studs of Lorraine (1767-1791)

Camille Wilhelm

Abstract 

As soon as Lorraine was definitively annexed to the Kingdom of France in 1766, it became subject to the equine management system that applied throughout the territory: the administration of the Royal Studs. Until 1791, when it collapsed because of the French Revolution, this institution developed in the province of Lorraine with the aim of creating a new breed, larger and of better quality. To achieve this, and against the population, the administrators imported foreign stallions to breed with local mares. Lorraine, long ignored by historians because it was not one of the main breeding grounds, nevertheless abounds in sources about this administration. 

Michael Fadlallah el-Hedad’s Journey to the East: Addendum to the History of European Horse-Buying Expeditions

Zsuzsanna Zsidai

Abstract 

Fadlallah el-Hedad Mihály played a significant role in the history of the celebrated Shagya stud farm of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. In order to buy horses, he travelled extensively in the Middle East and next to his travelogue, My Travels in Mesopotamia and Iraq-Arabia, there are three unpublished photo albums, which are kept in the Collection of Original Photographs in the Hungarian Museum of Agriculture. The article aims to introduce his journey and its sources and to highlight some international historical-cultural aspects related to this important period of the breeding of Arabian horses in Europe.

Body Size and Conformation of the Estonian Native Horse and Its Ancestral Populations

Eve Rannamäe, Markku Niskanen, Haldja Viinalass

Abstract

The Estonian Native Horse is an autochthonous breed valued for its genetic and phenotypic diversity. Current breeding and conservation programmes recommend preserving the conformation characteristic to autochthonous horses, which are known from the end of the nineteenth century. Yet, the population history of the Estonian Native Horse goes back for almost three millennia, and there is very little information on the size and conformation of these ancestral populations. To study the size and conformation of the local horses, we analysed osteometric data for 384 horses from 800 BCE to the nineteenth century CE and compared these to zoometric data from the twentieth and twenty-first century of the Estonian Native Horse and other reference breeds. We learned that the Estonian Native Horse has grown in size, and its limb bones tend to be relatively slenderer compared to the archaeological horses, but, in conformation, it is still the same horse as we had in the past. This result confirms the authenticity of the existing morphotype and hopefully encourages the breeders to continue breeding horses with similar size and conformation as in the more distant past.

Equestrian Drama: A Concise Overview and Introduction to the Form

Kimberly Poppiti

Abstract 

Live performing horses feature as the central and defining element of equestrian drama (or hippodrama), a mainly nineteenth century form of popular theatre. By tracing equestrian drama’s origins and evolution from key influences and related preliminary forms, to landmark early works, through the most noteworthy plays and productions from the form’s heyday, and into its twilight, this article provides a concise overview of equestrian drama, along with insight into the significance of the horse within this spectacular type of popular theatre. Identification and a concise explication of the main sub-genres of equestrian drama, along with an introduction to key figures and major innovations in stage design and technology stemming from equestrian drama are included. The eventual fading of equestrian drama’s popularity as a form of popular theatre around the turn and early decades of the twentieth century, and the ongoing evolution of the role horses play in live theatre and related equestrian entertainments, are also considered. 

Connecting to the Horse in My Indonesian Past, Dutch Present and Mixed Future

Brigitte Kilian-de Wolff

Abstract 

This paper connects knowledge of the cavalry of Royal Dutch East Indies Army to the story of an ancestor who was a professional equestrian.

Lipizzaners: The European War Horses in South Africa

Lieutenant-Colonel (Dr) Jean-Pierre Scherman

Abstract 

The white stallions and mares of Lipica are world renowned for the grace and beauty they display while performing elaborate movements as part of their shows. These shows, with their origin in the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, are just as famous, with spectators coming from around the world, to enjoy the white Lipizzaners. Thousands of miles away on the southern point of the African continent, a group of these fabled horses are also to be found. This paper will examine the lives of the two men responsible for bringing these horses to South Africa and the history of the South African Lipizzaner program.

The Electric Horse: Modern Horse-Riding Simulators as an Innovative Tool for Teaching and Research

Birgit Bühler

Abstract 

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of using a modern horse-riding simulator as a tool for academic teaching and research within the field of equestrian history. This topic is discussed using three case studies: while the first two case studies focus on teaching, the final example introduces some ideas for innovative research on ancient horse-riding styles and mounted combat techniques, using a modern horse-riding simulator. Hence, an inter- or transdisciplinary approach, using a wide range of sources and methods, can facilitate the reconstruction of ancient horse-riding styles and mounted combat techniques.

BOOK REVIEWS

David W. Ramey, Lost Traditions. Horses and Horse Medicine in Pre-modern Japan

Reviewed by Antonio Manieri

Ludovic Orlando, Horses. A 4,000-Year Genetic Journey Across the World

Reviewed by Gail Brownrigg


William T. Taylor, Hoof Beats. How Horses Shaped Human History

Reviewed by Gail Brownrigg

NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS