Medallion with Equestrian Figure (DO BZ.1937.29)
by Maire O'Donnell '23, Clark University
Although this silk fragment is now faded, its once-brilliant colors depicted a rider aiming his bow in dramatic fashion at a feline under his horse’s hooves. This medallion is part of a rich tradition of images of combat and hunting, which decorated medieval tapestries, silks, and ivories.
For the elite, hunting was a leisure activity in addition to a practical means of acquiring food. Horses were used in two different schools of hunting: venery, the direct pursuit of animals, and falconry (hunting with birds of prey) (see the Fragment of a Bowl with a Horse and Rider). Many young noblemen learned to ride a horse as soon as they could walk. Elite riders also used hunting on horseback to sharpen their skills for the battlefield.