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This horse is
from a much older Scythian image. The
Scythians were the horse riding people from the
Steppes of Russia - in fact the first to ride on
horses (other peoples at the time used horses only
to pull chariots)
The Celts came
in contact with the Scythians around the 2nd c BC and probably
began doing animal art because of their influence.
It
is thought that some old Celtic goddesses, such
as Macha and Etain, were horse goddesses
(Cuchulain's horse
was 'the grey of Macha'). Certainly the horse was
an important measure of status in a warrior
society that relied on horse drawn chariots. Many
ancient Irish kings were called Eochu which has
as its root 'ech', the old Irish word for horse.
Old Celtic coins often depicted a horse instead
of the more usual head of the King.
All
brooches can also be ordered as necklaces
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