Band with two horsemen

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Men on horseback have traditionally represented symbols of political, military, or religious power.To Christians, men on horseback also gained an eschatological meaning, representing thehope for an ultimate victory soon to be won. This vibrant textile band features two horsemen in a vertical pattern on a yellow ground. Mounted and turning back, two men wear close-fitting garments, caps and boots that were closely associated with contemporary Persian attire.

Medieval Art and The Cloisters

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Museum's collection of medieval and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world. Displayed in both The Met Fifth Avenue and in the Museum's branch in northern Manhattan, The Met Cloisters, the collection encompasses the art of the Mediterranean and Europe from the fall of Rome in the fourth century to the beginning of the Renaissance in the early sixteenth century. It also includes pre-medieval European works of art created during the Bronze Age and early Iron Age.

Metropolitan Museum of Art