Early horse harness in China

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520855
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAHAMA Shu 金沢大学, 人間社会研究域, 客員研究員 (60000353)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 馬具 / 銜 / くつわ / 青銅器 / 鋳造 / 中国 / 商代 / 西周時代

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Horse culture was brought in China in the 2nd millennium B.C. In Anyang were found rod-shaped horse-bits, squre-shaped cheek-pieces and U-shaped objects with nail like projections, which were originated in Western Asia. Chain-like horse-bits, made of two 8-shaped parts, were invented in late Shang period, one of which was twisted for innovation in early Western Zhou period. Antler cheek-pieces with 3 holes were brought from the West in early Western Zhou period, and their bronze copies developed into the most typical type of bronze cheek-pieces of this period. From late Western Zhou to early Spring and Autumn period, outer rings of horse-bits became larger, in which inserted now elongated cheek-pieces. Similar horse harness appeared in Siberia in a little later period.
Two different processes for casting cheek-pieces are recognized, one for Western Zhou period, the other for Warring State period.

Free Research Field

考古学