IMPORTANT GREEK KAPISTRION 13015. A VERY RARE GREEK CHARIOT HORSE MUZZLE. 3rd century BC. Bronze, 9.5 x 8.5 x 6 inches. The two attachment rings 1.5 inches in diameter. Of elegant ornate caged construction. Snarling maned lion heads incised on the two sides, a beautifully molded palmette design frontlet at top center. Covered with a beautiful emerald green patina. Very rare and one of the finest and most ornate of the few known examples. Some repair but all original. One side slightly out of true. Authenticated by a leading European expert in ancient Greek militaria. Provenance: An old European family collection. The Greek kapistrion, based on pictographic sources, was used on horses pulling chariots to stop them from nipping each other. Ancient sources such as Aeschylus in his Seven against Thebes also indicate they were worn by horses used in battle. The kapistrion was slipped over the horse's muzzle and held onto its head by an adjustable leather strap that connected to the rings on each side and passed behind the horse's ears. The straps were connected to separate rings attached to a brow band that went in front of the horse's ears to stop it sliding down the horse's neck. The two large openings in the front are for the horse's nostrils. Only 10-12 Greek kapistria of this quality are known most in museums including one in the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, and one in the Getty. A scholarly discussion in pdf format illustrated with a few of the other known examples can be seen at greek-horse-muzzles.pdf. Price on request.