A superb Fatimid Double Horse Head Gold Pendant, ca. 11th - 13th century CE

This beautifully designed pendant of high karat gold, features a gracefully curved body decorated with granulated circles and terminating in two finely modeled horse heads.  Each head features a finely modeled open mouth, ears inlaid with carnelian, and a round carnelian inlay in the center of the forehead.  Suspended from the body are three dangling elements comprising a carnelian bead sitting above a round gold terminal that creates a fabulous sense of movement.  Three suspension loops are attached at the top to wear as a pendant.

The twin-horse motif, rooted in ancient nomadic and Sassanian traditions, continued into the Islamic period as a signifier of nobility, strength, and divine protection.  Horses appeared prominently in secular and courtly settings, on metalwork, ceramics, textiles, and jewelry. They symbolized princely virtue and martial prowess, embodying ideals of furūsiyya (chivalry and horsemanship), a key aspect of elite identity. In royal imagery, horses were associated with kingship and divine sanction, conveying both earthly authority and spiritual grace.  A superb example of Islamic luxury goldwork of the high medieval period.

Medium:  Gold, carnelian

Dimensions:  Pendant length: 2 3/8 inches (6 cm), height: 2 inches (5 cm).  Strung on a 24-inch 14K yellow gold chain.

Condition:  Two ear inlays are now missing, but otherwise the pendant is overall intact and in excellent condition.  It has been modern strung on a 24-inch 14K yellow gold chain.  An exceptional example.

Provenance:  Collection of Henry Anavian, Sumer Gallery, NYC, acquired in the 1980s and then by descent.