1. A NEAR EASTERN BRIDLE BIT OF THE SECOND MILLENNIUM B.C. IN NEW YORK

Abstract

In a recent issue of this journal we published a bronze horse bit with a solid bar mouthpiece and circular cheekpieces, pre~ently in the Israel Museum, j erusalem.1 Although the provenance and history of the object are unknown, it was presumably made during the second half of the second millennium B.C., somewhere in the Near East, and possibly in the Levant. Since then another cast bronze bit of related type has come to light in the collection of the Department of Classics of New York University (PI. XLII).2 Although the provenance of this bit is also unknown, it is suggested that it came from the Cesnola Collection. It may have been among the Nine small objects, implements etc. of bronze acquired among other (identified) itenlS by the University from the Cesnola Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 1925. They are listed under Cypriot duplicate sales in the Museum's records.3 Since Cesnola was collecting during the second half of the nineteenth century, when no bits of this type had been published, it is most unlikely that it is a forgery or a pastiche. Moveover, its utilitarian character with only simple decoration would not be apt to tempt a forger. Autopsy appears to show that the piece is genuine and as originally assembled. The analysis (see Appendix) indicates that both cheekpieces and the mouthpiece are low tin bronzes; this is a standard second millennium B.C. bronze composition. The bit is composed of a solid-bar mouthpiece and two circular cheekpieces. The mouthpiece (overall L.: c. 0'19 m., within cheekpieces: c. 0'135 m.; Diam. at centre: c. o· 006 m.) is round in section and relatively thick. It displays a slight curvature in the same