I have only really encountered tack from the Late 19C and Early 20C in the west, where applying ethnicity would be nearly impossible. So, I just want to offer an ill informed possibility/consideration. Perhaps the Dutch bit furniture were of a retrievable/recyclable material such as wrought iron or a cuprous material that could be really vast/forged into something else and the English types were less recoverable so they were discarded? Or perhaps the Dutch had a riding style that did not require the same amount if tack as the English style?
Spelling and grammatical errors courtesy of Android operating system;
Sean Doyle
Historic Resource Specialist
SWCA Environmental Consultants
Broomfield, CO.
sent <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
An interesting topic-
Remember that horses figure considerably in English and European seasonal
celebrations.
Hobby horses, mari lwyd....the list goes on and on.....
Most of these are depicted with tack including bits almost always. Bits were
important as they helped jaws move and make noise....an important part of
the persona
Therefore not all horse bits will be bits for real horses! Some will be
made of strange materials- wood/wire for example others will be made
differently from functioning ones, others will be modified real bits scaled
or adapted to fit the wooden horse head or perhaps human costume......this
could be quite interesting and something to be sure to be aware of as it can
provide insight into seasonal customs and traditions that is hard to find
otherwise.
most horses used in rituals- costumes, modified skulls- sculptures were lead
around with horse tack as generally the guy in the costume could not see
much.....
be aware of modified skulls as well.....
Conrad
-----Original Message-----
From: Gonzalez-Tennant, Edward
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 9:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Request from a Student - Horse Bits
Greetings all,
I have a request from one of our students here at Monmouth, Tabitha
Hilliard. Part of her thesis project seeks to develop information about
horse bits. I've copied her request below, please feel free to respond to
her directly if you can help out.
Thanks,
Ed Gonzalez-Tennant
------------------Message Follows------------------
Hello!
My name is Tabitha Hilliard and I am a graduate student of Monmouth
University. I am currently working on a paper presentation for this year's
MAAC Conference 2012, to be held in March. I am researching horse bits
dating to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. My long-term goal is to
develop a chronology of horse bits across time and demonstrate how styles
change. For the purposes of this paper, which will be scratching the
surface of such an investigation - I am seeking bits that have been
excavated from both English occupied sites, as well as Dutch sites. My
problem is that I have come across MANY bits from English sites and none
from Dutch sites.
Do any of you happen to have horse bits in your collection(s) that have been
excavated from Dutch sites - bits that I may include in my research?
If so, please contact me at:
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> OR
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
I would be extremely grateful!!!
Sincerely,
Tabitha Hilliard
Monmouth University
Anthropology, Graduate Assistant
|
