The Equestrian Statue in Archaic Greek Sculpture.

Abstract

The subject of this study is an examination of the equestrian statue in Greece during the Archaic period, focusing upon its use and meaning by relying not only upon a catalogue of the sculptures themselves but also the rich comparative material provided by literary sources and representations in other media including vase painting, coins, bronze and terracotta figurines. Despite the widespread distribution of equestrian figurines of terracotta and bronze, large-scale stone equestrian sculpture was a phenomenon confined to Attica and Attic-influenced Delos. Reasons for the prominence of equestrian statues on the Acropolis at Athens must include the close cultic associations of Athena and Poseidon with horses. Another factor in the distribution of equestrian statues may be the activity of the Peisistratids whose Neleid ancestry connected them to Poseidon. Equestrian statues also reflect an aristocratic way of life for which the horse is an important symbol. Horses are closely tied to the main pursuits of the upper class male: athletic competition and warfare. They seem to have many purposes and to operate on many interpretive levels. An equestrian statue could mark selection for the cavalry, or an athletic victory and could also serve to commemorate the dead. For the Athenian Acropolis it is the most popular male type because of its suitability for the cultic, political and social spheres of sixth century Athens.