Snaffle Bit

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The snaffle bit is the simplest type of horse bit, and has an effect on the bars (part of the horses’ jaw without teeth) and the corners of the lips. Here the twisted canons and the central piece add some severity, since by bending over the tongue, they would bring the twisted links in contact with the bars. This bit was originally probably completed by larger metal rings or cheekpieces made of perishable material, like wood or bone. The cheekpieces help indicate the direction to the horse and keep the rings from pulling through the horse's mouth. The headstall would have probably being connected to these missing rings or cheekpieces as well. This kind of bit is found in burials associated with several populations living and travelling between eastern and central Europe during this period. This example was found in what is today Poděbrady, in Czech Republic

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art