Skip to content
Pitt Rivers Museum
AboutHire the MuseumNewsletterUniversity of Oxford

1884.52.2

Metal bit, with reins and whip of plaited leather. [L.Ph 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 3/12/2004]

1884.52.2

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

Terms and Conditions

If you wish to order a high-resolution image and/or licence its use for print or web publication, exhibition, film, promotional product or any other use, whether in the academic or commercial sector of any print run, then please visit photographic services.

Collection type
Object
Description
Metal bit, with reins and whip of plaited leather. [L.Ph 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 3/12/2004]
Cultural groups
European
Spanish
Date / Period
Date made: Possibly before 1878
Date collected
?Prior to 1878
Acquisition information
Donated: 1884
Materials and processes
Material Animal Hide Skin, Material Metal, Process Plaited
Dimensions
Width: max 145 mm bit
Object numbers
Accession number: 1884.52.2 Other numbers: Wood 103 PR Cat other PR nos: 3548 PR Cat other PR nos: 3548
Research and responses

JG Wood 1870 Natural History of Man: Australia etc p527-8 'The bit and bridle are equally ingenious. The ordinary bit is seen in the accompanying illustration. It consists of a square bar of iron four and a half inches long, the ends of which are passed through holes in doubled pieces of hide, and hammered when cold into a sort of rivet-like shape, so as to retain the leather in its place. To the lower part of the leathers are attached a couple of stout thongs, which are passed under the lower jaw of the horse, and then tied, so that they keep the bit in its place, and at the same time act as a sort of curb. To the upper parts of the leathers are fixed the long plaited thongs which are used as reins, and which seem strong enough to hold an elephant, much more a horse. The Patagonian uses no separate whip, but has a long double strap of stout hide, which is fixed to the junction of the reins, so that there is no danger of losing it. This is the ordinary bit of a Patagonian hunter, but those who can obtain it like to use the cruel Spanish bit, which they fit up in their own way with thongs of plaited hide. One of these bits is shown in the illustration on page 528. The principal distinguishing point about these bits is the large iron ring, which passes over the horse's jaw, and gives to the rider a leverage so powerful that he could break the jaw of any horse without making any very great exertion. ... The reins which are attached to this bit are of enormous strength, and are plaited in a square form, so that no amount of pulling which any horse could accomplish would endanger them. The whip is attached to these reins like that of the last mentioned apparatus, but is more severe, thicker and heavier, and is made of a long broad belt of hide cut into four strips, which are plaited together , flat and narrow strips about four inches long answering as a lash.' [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

Search terms: Animal Gear, Punishment and Torture, Cordage, Bit Animal Harness, Reins Animal Harness, Horse Accessory, Whip, Animal Harness

Further items to explore