English: The ceremonial gilt bronze finial with the “Heavenly Horse”

Culture/Region: Saka–Scythian steppe tradition with Greco-Bactrian (Hellenistic) influence (Central Asia)

Material/Technique: Gilt bronze, lost-wax casting

Date: Hellenistic era, Greco-Bactrian period

Description and style. The finial shows a horse in the true suspended phase of the V-gallop—a compact “airborne” pose with the limbs gathered beneath the body (a rare motif in ancient art). Its modeling blends Saka–Scythian animal-style solutions (a large triangular negative space under the belly, constructive silhouette, truncated-pyramidal support) with Hellenistic naturalism (articulated ribs, dynamic body). The square shaft and the compositional lightening of masses reinforce the impression of flight. Two faces of the quadrangular shaft carry a vine-and-cloud scroll: in the Hellenistic tradition a grapevine motif, in steppe symbolism a Tree of Life—together forming a small cosmogram suited to a ceremonial-ritual setting. A frontal protuberance on the forehead (肉角 / jibbah) relates to elite breed traits and points to a specific breed model rather than a generic mythical steed.

Attribution and dating. Assignment to the Greco-Bactrian milieu rests on the ensemble of features: lost-wax casting, the ornamental repertoire, and close morphological/technological parallels with Hellenistic sculpture at the steppe–Bactria interface.

Context and significance. The piece is framed as a product of cultural syncretism along the early Silk Roads: a steppe Saka–Scythian visual language integrating Hellenistic techniques and motifs. In Han-period texts and ritual the “Heavenly Horse” (tianma) signified celestial mandate and imperial legitimacy; historical notices (including Zhang Qian’s missions and the War of the Heavenly Horses, 104–101 BCE) underline the strategic role of Ferghana’s elite horses. Links are drawn between Nisaean (Persian) and Ferghana “heavenly” horses as one Eurasian tradition; the “horned horse” on a Seleucid coin is read as a visual sign of divine sanction across Persia–Central Asia–China.

3D analysis. 3D scanning indicates that the figure’s form and “stance” align with a convincing sense of flight in a compact suspension, with results cross-checked on the model.

See also:

Ospanov, Olzhas; Vincelette, Alan (2025). Galloping Across Realms: Scientific and Symbolic Interpretations of the Eurasian “Heavenly Horse” and Other Galloping Horses in Art. Zenodo. doi:10.5281/zenodo.17132350. https://zenodo.org/records/17132350