Cheiron: The International Journal of Equine and Equestrian history Vol. 1, Issue 1 November 2021 (News section): 3-6., 2021
In 2018 it was reported that remains of three horses had been discovered in an area that had prob... more In 2018 it was reported that remains of three horses had been discovered in an area that had probably been the stable of a luxurious villa at Civita Giuliana about 700 metres north of the walls of ancient Pompeii. In 2021 another excavation close by brought to light another important find: an ornate four-wheeled carriage, covered by the ash from the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. Though without parallel among other finds in Italy, it resembles vehicles from Thrace. This exceptional discovery represents a unique find in an excellent state of preservation.
The Horse in Premodern European Culture, edited by Anastasija Ropa and Timothy Dawson, Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Culture LXX, de Gruyter, Berlin/Boston, 2019, 55-67, 2019
The horse collar has long been considered an important invention of the Middle Ages. This chapter... more The horse collar has long been considered an important invention of the Middle Ages. This chapter discusses medieval harness and proposes that the major contribution to its development in Europe was the use of traces, allowing the tractive function to be separated from its purpose in supporting the shafts. Traces gave freedom of movement, enabled the use of a whippletree to balance out the draught power between two animals, and allowed extra animals to be harnessed in file. It was not only the collar, used for both cattle and horses, but especially the widespread use of traces, which played an important role in harnessing medieval horsepower.
Echoing Hooves: Studies on Horses and Their Effects on Medieval Societies, edited by Anastasija Ropa and Timothy George Dawson. Series: Explorations in Medieval Culture, Volume: 22, Brill, Leiden, 249–266., 2022
Many authors still repeat the long-held theory that ancient harness tended to choke the horses, a... more Many authors still repeat the long-held theory that ancient harness tended to choke the horses, and that it was not until the introduction of the horse collar during the Middle Ages that “modern” harness enabled them to pull vehicles effectively. This paper disputes this hypothesis and suggests an alternative explanation for the origin of the horse collar.
The interconnectedness of the ancient European, Eurasian and Chinese worlds is not doubted, but j... more The interconnectedness of the ancient European, Eurasian and Chinese worlds is not doubted, but just what was exchanged and how the transmission of ideas took place is a question very much under investigation. This paper examines peculiarities of equid harnessing and draught across this vast area as a case in point to consider such issues as diffusion and independent invention, especially in relation to the emergence of single draught vehicles.
Chariots in Antiquity: Essays in Honour of Joost Crouwel, 2023
Jean Spruytte was a French riding teacher and carriage driver who constructed first scale models ... more Jean Spruytte was a French riding teacher and carriage driver who constructed first scale models and then full-sized chariots based on the study of visual evidence for vehicles and harnessing in antiquity. His practical experiments demonstrated clearly that the long-held theory that ancient harness had choked the draught horses was untrue, and was based on confusion between two harness systems. Bringing to bear the eye and knowledge of a horseman, he analysed the relationship between the type of harness used and the design and balance of chariots in the ancient world. He published numerous articles and two books. Although the importance of his work was not always recognised by academics at the time, his studies informed the work of some distinguished scholars such as Joost Crouwel and Mary Littauer. Jean Spruytte’s studies and working reconstructions have made a substantial contribution to the history of chariots and harnessing.
Chariots in Antiquity: Essays in Honour of Joost Crouwel, 2023
‘Check rowels’ are decorated rods fitted with spiked discs, of which a few examples survive, now... more ‘Check rowels’ are decorated rods fitted with spiked discs, of which a few examples survive, now recognised as part of eighteenth dynasty chariot harness. Their function is discussed, and a new suggestion for their purpose is proposed.
The Materiality of the Horse, edited by Miriam A. Bibby and Brian G. Scott, Trivent Publishing, Budapest, 2020, 1-36, 2020
In the Middle Ages, the New Forest was a royal hunting ground, in which deer and other game were ... more In the Middle Ages, the New Forest was a royal hunting ground, in which deer and other game were protected by strict Forest Laws which restricted farming, enclosure and other use of the land. Local people were, however, permitted to depasture livestock on the “wastes”. Certain “Common Rights” became established, which are still in existence today. Ponies would graze the heaths and woodlands until they were needed for work, and their offspring sold. Today, some 5,000 ponies still range free over the open Forest, seeking out food, water and shelter according to prevailing conditions. They are all in private ownership, but live wild with minimum intervention, just as they have since medieval times.
Equids and Wheeled Vehicles in the Ancient World: Essays in Memory of Mary A. Littauer, 2019
Iconographic evidence and archaeological finds show how chariot harness in the Near East and the ... more Iconographic evidence and archaeological finds show how chariot harness in the Near East and the eastern Mediterranean was developed and embellished over two millennia. Experimental reconstructions have shown how it functioned and confirm that, far from being inefficient as has often been claimed, it was well adapted for its purpose and for changing needs.
in: Equids and Wheeled Vehicles in the Ancient World, 2019
The essays in this volume were originally presented at a symposium in honour of Mary Aiken Littau... more The essays in this volume were originally presented at a symposium in honour of Mary Aiken Littauer, la grande dame de l'hippologie ancienne. The papers consider subjects and material of interest to her, including the chariot, harnessing and equipment, horse breeds and the advent of horsemanship across ancient Europe, Africa and Asia.The collection of these essays allows for comparisons that have not previously been possible in a single book. The volume also introduces the reader to a broad range of approaches, grounded in disciplines ranging from philology, archaeology, archaeozoology and art history to DNA research and experimental archaeology.Summarising past research as well as presenting much new information, the essays will be of interest to specialists and laypersons alike. The breadth and diversity of topics and areas represented honours the formative role that Mary Littauer has played in the research of the contributors.
Material remains of harness elements from different parts of the
Roman Empire have contributed to... more Material remains of harness elements from different parts of the Roman Empire have contributed to a new interpretation of the harness depicted on funerary reliefs of the second-third centuries AD from north-western Europe and on other figured documents, such as Trajan’s Column in Rome (dedicated in 113 AD). As recent experimental reconstruction has shown, the curved wooden plaques, held firmly in place by a metal bow, may have formed a precedent for the collar and hames developed during the Middle Ages into the form still in use today. The most important innovation was the introduction – no later than the second century AD – of single draught between shafts, replacing traditional paired draught with pole and yoke. There is even some evidence that other elements of modern harness, such as traces and the whippletree, hitherto considered to be medieval inventions, were also known during the period of the Roman Empire.
Cheiron: The International Journal of Equine and Equestrian history Vol. 1, Issue 1 November 2021 (News section): 3-6., 2021
In 2018 it was reported that remains of three horses had been discovered in an area that had prob... more In 2018 it was reported that remains of three horses had been discovered in an area that had probably been the stable of a luxurious villa at Civita Giuliana about 700 metres north of the walls of ancient Pompeii. In 2021 another excavation close by brought to light another important find: an ornate four-wheeled carriage, covered by the ash from the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. Though without parallel among other finds in Italy, it resembles vehicles from Thrace. This exceptional discovery represents a unique find in an excellent state of preservation.
The Horse in Premodern European Culture, edited by Anastasija Ropa and Timothy Dawson, Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Culture LXX, de Gruyter, Berlin/Boston, 2019, 55-67, 2019
The horse collar has long been considered an important invention of the Middle Ages. This chapter... more The horse collar has long been considered an important invention of the Middle Ages. This chapter discusses medieval harness and proposes that the major contribution to its development in Europe was the use of traces, allowing the tractive function to be separated from its purpose in supporting the shafts. Traces gave freedom of movement, enabled the use of a whippletree to balance out the draught power between two animals, and allowed extra animals to be harnessed in file. It was not only the collar, used for both cattle and horses, but especially the widespread use of traces, which played an important role in harnessing medieval horsepower.
Echoing Hooves: Studies on Horses and Their Effects on Medieval Societies, edited by Anastasija Ropa and Timothy George Dawson. Series: Explorations in Medieval Culture, Volume: 22, Brill, Leiden, 249–266., 2022
Many authors still repeat the long-held theory that ancient harness tended to choke the horses, a... more Many authors still repeat the long-held theory that ancient harness tended to choke the horses, and that it was not until the introduction of the horse collar during the Middle Ages that “modern” harness enabled them to pull vehicles effectively. This paper disputes this hypothesis and suggests an alternative explanation for the origin of the horse collar.
The interconnectedness of the ancient European, Eurasian and Chinese worlds is not doubted, but j... more The interconnectedness of the ancient European, Eurasian and Chinese worlds is not doubted, but just what was exchanged and how the transmission of ideas took place is a question very much under investigation. This paper examines peculiarities of equid harnessing and draught across this vast area as a case in point to consider such issues as diffusion and independent invention, especially in relation to the emergence of single draught vehicles.
Chariots in Antiquity: Essays in Honour of Joost Crouwel, 2023
Jean Spruytte was a French riding teacher and carriage driver who constructed first scale models ... more Jean Spruytte was a French riding teacher and carriage driver who constructed first scale models and then full-sized chariots based on the study of visual evidence for vehicles and harnessing in antiquity. His practical experiments demonstrated clearly that the long-held theory that ancient harness had choked the draught horses was untrue, and was based on confusion between two harness systems. Bringing to bear the eye and knowledge of a horseman, he analysed the relationship between the type of harness used and the design and balance of chariots in the ancient world. He published numerous articles and two books. Although the importance of his work was not always recognised by academics at the time, his studies informed the work of some distinguished scholars such as Joost Crouwel and Mary Littauer. Jean Spruytte’s studies and working reconstructions have made a substantial contribution to the history of chariots and harnessing.
Chariots in Antiquity: Essays in Honour of Joost Crouwel, 2023
‘Check rowels’ are decorated rods fitted with spiked discs, of which a few examples survive, now... more ‘Check rowels’ are decorated rods fitted with spiked discs, of which a few examples survive, now recognised as part of eighteenth dynasty chariot harness. Their function is discussed, and a new suggestion for their purpose is proposed.
The Materiality of the Horse, edited by Miriam A. Bibby and Brian G. Scott, Trivent Publishing, Budapest, 2020, 1-36, 2020
In the Middle Ages, the New Forest was a royal hunting ground, in which deer and other game were ... more In the Middle Ages, the New Forest was a royal hunting ground, in which deer and other game were protected by strict Forest Laws which restricted farming, enclosure and other use of the land. Local people were, however, permitted to depasture livestock on the “wastes”. Certain “Common Rights” became established, which are still in existence today. Ponies would graze the heaths and woodlands until they were needed for work, and their offspring sold. Today, some 5,000 ponies still range free over the open Forest, seeking out food, water and shelter according to prevailing conditions. They are all in private ownership, but live wild with minimum intervention, just as they have since medieval times.
Equids and Wheeled Vehicles in the Ancient World: Essays in Memory of Mary A. Littauer, 2019
Iconographic evidence and archaeological finds show how chariot harness in the Near East and the ... more Iconographic evidence and archaeological finds show how chariot harness in the Near East and the eastern Mediterranean was developed and embellished over two millennia. Experimental reconstructions have shown how it functioned and confirm that, far from being inefficient as has often been claimed, it was well adapted for its purpose and for changing needs.
in: Equids and Wheeled Vehicles in the Ancient World, 2019
The essays in this volume were originally presented at a symposium in honour of Mary Aiken Littau... more The essays in this volume were originally presented at a symposium in honour of Mary Aiken Littauer, la grande dame de l'hippologie ancienne. The papers consider subjects and material of interest to her, including the chariot, harnessing and equipment, horse breeds and the advent of horsemanship across ancient Europe, Africa and Asia.The collection of these essays allows for comparisons that have not previously been possible in a single book. The volume also introduces the reader to a broad range of approaches, grounded in disciplines ranging from philology, archaeology, archaeozoology and art history to DNA research and experimental archaeology.Summarising past research as well as presenting much new information, the essays will be of interest to specialists and laypersons alike. The breadth and diversity of topics and areas represented honours the formative role that Mary Littauer has played in the research of the contributors.
Material remains of harness elements from different parts of the
Roman Empire have contributed to... more Material remains of harness elements from different parts of the Roman Empire have contributed to a new interpretation of the harness depicted on funerary reliefs of the second-third centuries AD from north-western Europe and on other figured documents, such as Trajan’s Column in Rome (dedicated in 113 AD). As recent experimental reconstruction has shown, the curved wooden plaques, held firmly in place by a metal bow, may have formed a precedent for the collar and hames developed during the Middle Ages into the form still in use today. The most important innovation was the introduction – no later than the second century AD – of single draught between shafts, replacing traditional paired draught with pole and yoke. There is even some evidence that other elements of modern harness, such as traces and the whippletree, hitherto considered to be medieval inventions, were also known during the period of the Roman Empire.
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Papers by gail brownrigg
Roman Empire have contributed to a new interpretation of the harness depicted
on funerary reliefs of the second-third centuries AD from north-western Europe
and on other figured documents, such as Trajan’s Column in Rome (dedicated
in 113 AD). As recent experimental reconstruction has shown, the curved wooden
plaques, held firmly in place by a metal bow, may have formed a precedent for the
collar and hames developed during the Middle Ages into the form still in use
today. The most important innovation was the introduction – no later than the
second century AD – of single draught between shafts, replacing traditional
paired draught with pole and yoke. There is even some evidence that other
elements of modern harness, such as traces and the whippletree, hitherto
considered to be medieval inventions, were also known during the period of the
Roman Empire.
Drafts by gail brownrigg
Books by gail brownrigg
Roman Empire have contributed to a new interpretation of the harness depicted
on funerary reliefs of the second-third centuries AD from north-western Europe
and on other figured documents, such as Trajan’s Column in Rome (dedicated
in 113 AD). As recent experimental reconstruction has shown, the curved wooden
plaques, held firmly in place by a metal bow, may have formed a precedent for the
collar and hames developed during the Middle Ages into the form still in use
today. The most important innovation was the introduction – no later than the
second century AD – of single draught between shafts, replacing traditional
paired draught with pole and yoke. There is even some evidence that other
elements of modern harness, such as traces and the whippletree, hitherto
considered to be medieval inventions, were also known during the period of the
Roman Empire.