Roman Horse-Head Fitting

Roman swastika fitting with horse heads.

Here you can buy a replica of a Roman swastika fitting with a tetraskelion in the shape of horse heads.

The historical model for this Roman swastika fitting are harness covers in the shape of horse heads, which originate from ancient Dacia, today's Romania, and were found in the hoard of Baiceni, among other places.

Link to a historical model...

In the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, in addition to horse-headed tetraskelion brooches, swastika-shaped fittings whose four arms were designed as horse heads were also found in the Roman Empire.

This design element was particularly widespread in the Balkans among the auxiliaries of the Roman cavalry, and may have had a religious significance as part of a horse cult.

You can buy the swastika fitting in high-quality bronze or real silver-plated.
Alternatively, also available in 925 sterling silver (Please note the delivery time).
Alloy....

The Roman horse head fitting measures 1.8 x 1.8 cm and has four pins on the back for fastening.

The four pins are attached by inserting them through holes in the leather and bending the tips slightly inwards with pliers. They are then tapped flat with a hammer, causing the points to sink into the leather and permanently fasten the shoe to the leather.

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Fibulae and fittings with horse heads in the shape of a swastika were widespread throughout the Roman Empire from the 3rd to the 6th century and were apparently very popular with the eastern foederati in the Roman cavalry.

Evidence of protomes in the shape of a horse's head can be found among many peoples of the Roman period in south-east and Central Europe, for example on belt buckles, fibulae and combs.

They then became characteristic of Roman cavalry units that the Romans had recruited from Pannonia, whereby the horse motif was mixed with the much older tetraskelion-shaped symbols.