Western Europe, Spain / Portugal, Iberian, Celtic culture, ca. 3rd to 2nd century BCE. A delightful leaded bronze fibula in the shape of a horse, known as "de caballito," boasting a schematic form of an arched neck, a lengthy tail, a slender snout, and a flattened body adorned with punched concentric circles. In the Iron age, fibulae and brooches were not only used to secure cloaks and other garments, but also to indicate the social status of the wearer. Horse fibulae, like this example, are considered representative of the male equestrian elite, yet also had a symbolic meaning associated with death; wearers of the fibulae believed the horse was a psychopomp animal that escorted the dead to the afterlife. The object hanging from the horse’s snout is thought to be the head of a vanquished foe or the soul of the deceased. Size: 1.6" W x 1.4" H (4.1 cm x 3.6 cm)

The term Celtic-Iberian refers to a group of peoples who lived in the pre-Roman era in northern and central Spain or in the region between the Iberian tribes of the Mediterranean coast on the Iberian peninsula and the Celtic tribes of the interior of the peninsula. Largely it refers incorrectly to the totality of all ancient Celtic and Iberian tribes on the Iberian Peninsula.

Provenance: private New York, USA collection, acquired prior to 1974

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#176100

Missing spring and pin impeding wearability. Light surface wear as shown, but otherwise in overall excellent condition with nice green patina and ample remaining detail.