EAA2021: Abstract
Abstract is part of session #510:
Title & Content
Title:
The interplay of material, shape and function in the spread of stirrups in late antique Eurasia
Content:
Stirrups considerably influenced horse riding and cavalry warfare during Eurasian Late Antiquity. They not only transformed the way of mounting but also provided greater stability during the ride which facilitated various movements, including mounted archery and the change of weapons on the saddle. In spite of the notion of the second cavalry revolution, this change did not happen at once. The present paper aims to present the long and multi-stage process of the spread of stirrups.
The material, shape, function and geographical distribution of the early stirrups significantly changed from the 4th to 7th century in Eurasia. The first wooden stirrups with metal frame were buried in elite burials in North China and Korea dated to the 4th-5th centuries. Two types of suspension are distinguished: a single stirrup on the left side or pairwise suggesting different functionality. The first to mount the horse and the second to support the rider's feet. Their geographical distribution overlaps the nomadic - sedentary borderland in an era when dynasties of nomadic origin ruled Northern China.
Iron stirrups became dominant only by the end of the 5th and early 6th century. Their shape changed considerably: stirrups with eyelet-shaped loops and flat stirrups with elongated loops are equally known, the foot of both of these types are narrow and T-shaped in their cross-section. The spread of such artefacts shifted towards the steppes, most of such stirrups occurred in Inner Asia.
The next step in the evolution of stirrups was the broadening of the feet providing better support for the rider. The earliest Avar stirrups represent this final stage of this process which means that they appeared in Europe in a developed form.
The material, shape, function and geographical distribution of the early stirrups significantly changed from the 4th to 7th century in Eurasia. The first wooden stirrups with metal frame were buried in elite burials in North China and Korea dated to the 4th-5th centuries. Two types of suspension are distinguished: a single stirrup on the left side or pairwise suggesting different functionality. The first to mount the horse and the second to support the rider's feet. Their geographical distribution overlaps the nomadic - sedentary borderland in an era when dynasties of nomadic origin ruled Northern China.
Iron stirrups became dominant only by the end of the 5th and early 6th century. Their shape changed considerably: stirrups with eyelet-shaped loops and flat stirrups with elongated loops are equally known, the foot of both of these types are narrow and T-shaped in their cross-section. The spread of such artefacts shifted towards the steppes, most of such stirrups occurred in Inner Asia.
The next step in the evolution of stirrups was the broadening of the feet providing better support for the rider. The earliest Avar stirrups represent this final stage of this process which means that they appeared in Europe in a developed form.
Keywords:
horses, equestrian equipment, cavalry warfare, Eurasian nomads, innovations
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authors
Main authors:
Gergely Csiky1
Co-author:
Affiliations:
1 Archaeological Institute of the Research Center for Humanities