WESTERN ASIATIC BRONZE HORSE BIT WITH WINGED HORSES. Ca. 1000 - 800 BC. An elaborate horse bit composed of a rectangular-section shank with both ends culminating in loops. Each end is affixed with an openwork plaque depicting a winged horse standing on an integral base bar. The animal's head is small with a narrow snout, and its large eye is formed by a circular outline with a central dot. The long neck is stretched upward and adorned with horizontal ribs. The tail hangs down, while the large wings are sectioned with individually outlined feathers, each terminating in a small sphere on the outer edge. Each animal is equipped with loops positioned on the inner and outer sides of the neck, as well as on the hindquarters, intended for threading reins. For similar see: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Object Number: 57.51.40a–c. Size: 180mm x 90mm; Weight: 375g Provenance: Property of an Oxfordshire art professional; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1980s on the UK / International art markets. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.