Pair of Rowel Spurs
An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art
This pair of spurs, with heel bands decorated with copper inlays and pierced vegetal scrolls, was made for a Mexican charro (a Mexican cowboy) probably in the second half of the 18th century. They still retain some of the characteristics of the spurs made in the earlier part of the century, like the curved neck and the numerous and slender points of the rowel, but their proportions and the style of the heel band are already close to the types developed at the end of the 18th and in the 19th century. The rollers at the bottom of the terminals were for attaching a heel chain, an element missing from later examples, which only featured attachements for an upper strap. The loop on the external side of each rowel originally held a jingle bob, a small pendant jingling against the rowel when the wearer walks or rolls the spurs against the horse’s flanks. Charros were originally land, horse, and cattle owners who had a high social and economic status. They would meet during ceremonies and festivals and demonstrate their skills through several varieties of rodeo games called charrería. Charros and charrería remain important parts of Mexican traditional culture. During these festive events, charros could display splendidly decorated horse tack and spurs, the latter being one of the primary symbols of their culture.
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.