Kotoko Stylized Equestrian Figure, Pierced for Suspension

Flattened, beaked, and bristling, this yellow-toned beast seems to be mid-sprint.

This stylized equestrian figure pierced for suspension is Kotoko, from Chad, Central Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is cast bronze. Horse and rider images appear in many West and Central African arts, where they are generally linked with leadership, status and the power to travel and fight. Small cast animal with a long, hooked head, sharp spikes, and splayed legs, carrying a rider no bigger than a thumb. A round hole in the body and a worn, dull yellow finish give it a rough-hewn character. It is 2.5 inches wide, 0.5 deep and 2 high.

Not graceful, but undoubtedly in a hurry.