Image: Tatum/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

(Continued from Part 2…)

Straight from the Horses Mouth

Ultimately, what comes across from a (relatively!) brief survey of the range of archaeological, historical and etymological material are the following commonalities:

• Widespread distribution of archaeological evidence for horse activity, iconography and ritual associated with high status figures and burials in late prehistoric Europe.
• Widespread attestation of horse motifs, symbolism and metaphor associated with sacral and ancestral kingship/inauguration in late antiquity/early medieval Europe.
• Widespread ecclesiastical condemnation of horseflesh and equine attributes in later medieval literature
• Widespread ecclesiastical adaptation and transformation of horse/kingship motifs & traditions in sources pertaining to secular royal authority and legitimacy.

In terms of depicted pre-christian ritual associated with royal inauguration, certain motifs and cultural components appear frequently:

• Outdoor assembly/meeting/burial locations
• Public performance & display; power, authority, legitimacy
• Horse/King sacral & symbolic union; association, attributes, metaphor
• Horse sacrifice & consumption
• Communal feasting and drinking
• Large cauldrons/containers/receptacles to facilitate communal participation
• Reiteration and renewal of royal/tribal prosperity and fortune

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