Lock in the form of a horse

Lock in the form of a horse

This small bronze lock case is made in the shape of a standing horse, originally with four straight legs (one is now broken off at the top). It is hollow in its present state with thin walls and is part of a padlock, missing the shackle and internal spring mechanism. The horse's shape is simplified and the sides are flat. The neck is rather long and sinuous, the head has a rounded forehead and a short nose, and the ears are rounded and face backwards. A punched dot and circle is used to indicate the eye on both sides of the head. The body is shaped like a flattened barrel and mouldings indicate the front and back of a saddle. The keyhole is in the horse's left side, which is also decorated with one punched dot and circle at the front, above the forelimb, and another on the rump. There is a round hole in the horse's right side with one dot and circle behind it and another in front. Between the hindquarters there is a deep groove with a square profile. In the top half of this groove there is a rectangular gap that opens into the interior of the lock. There is also a join evident between the two similar halves that make up the lock case. A roughly formed oval hole is present along this join in the neck region and the horse's nose is damaged. The piece has a dark metallic patina and it has been coated with lacquer. Padlocks shaped like animals are found in both ancient Rome and China and also in cultures influenced by these civilsations. It is not known where the type was first developed.

Function:
When intact the lock would have had a separate curved shackle or hasp running from the groove between the hindquarters and passing up and around at the top to the hole in the neck. Projecting from this would have been a pair of spring levers and these would have been inserted into the interior of the lock through the rectangular hole at the top of the groove. As the free end of the shackle entered into the hole in the horse's neck, the springs on the other end would spread apart thereby holding the shackle in place and the lock could be used to secure portable objects. A key inserted into the keyhole would have engaged in the round hole in the horse's left side and it could then be turned, depressing the springs and freeing the shackle.

Turkey, Constantinople

Molding

Incising

82.018

900-100 CE

37x10.5x43 mm

Bronze

Purchased from Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd. Auction House, 1982.