“The Equids of Urkesh: What the Figurines Say,”
in G.Buccellati and M. Kelly-Buccellati (eds.),
Urkesh and the Hurrians,
Urkesh/Mozan Studies 3,
Bibliotheca Mesopotamica 26, Malibu: Undena Publications, pp. 63-74.
This paper (chapter 5 in UMS 3; see here the link to the full volume; cf. also the dedicated topical book) discusses some peculiar equid figurines at Urkesh, a part of the major corpus of animal figurines (several hundred figurines and figurine fragments) found at Tell Mozan (mostly in the service wing AK of the Royal Palace, and datable to ca. 2200 BC) [for equid figurines, cf. mainly Hauser 1998 , Hauser 2007 = UMS 5 and Hauser 2015 ].
The author tries to clarify in this contribution the genus of horses represented at Urkesh analysing some materials (such as M1.209 [for which see e.g. Mozan 1, p. 156, fig. 46]): the kind of horse Equus is represented in TYPE I (Z1.279) and TYPE II (A5.30 [for which see UMS 3, plates], plate VIII, fig. III.2) and its figure can de detected according to precise measurements (establishing a determinate ratio) of body parts (labelled ‘w1/w2/w3’), referring to forequarters/torso/hindquarters, respectively, and ‘lg’ for length.
The domesticated horse at Urkesh (TYPE III) shows some specific characteristics: 1) narrow muzzle; 2) widely-spaced eyes; 3) short ears; 4) long mane, rising onto head; 5) wide tail (at its base); non-domesticated horses (TYPE I) show, by contrast: 1) narrow forequarters; 2) short muzzle; 3) erect mane; 4) tufted tail. Some exemplificative figurines are then discussed, namely A1q836-f, A10.89, A6.238, A5.30, A5.10, A5q815-f, A5q63-f, K3.16, BH.383-2 and A1q960.8 (for pictures, see Illustrations referred to present paper in UMS 3).
Back to top: Rick Hauser 1998