Horse-bits are a large and recognizable group within the canonical bronzes of Luristan. A typical Luristan horse-bit consists of a rigid mouthpiece and a pair of cheekpieces, either plain or cast in the form of horses, caprids (goats), boars, cocks, and griffins. It is unclear whether horse-bits were manufactured for practical use or only for funerary purposes; however, because many examples seem to show wear and almost all have rear spikes that could have been used as goads, it seems probable that they were used in daily life for large horses, which is also indicative a mobile community.
LACMA's collection includes fine examples of typical Luristan bronzes, including ceremonial cheekpieces from horse bits. This cheekpiece, in the shape of an advancing, winged sphinx, was originally one of a pair of horse-bits that had been placed among other grave goods; it is probably the mate for another cheekpiece now in a private collection. The bits are complementary to a whole range of harness trappings. The cheekpiece reveals the Luristan craftsmans great skill in modeling and casting by lost-wax process, as well as the remarkable combination of natural and fantastic in his imagery.
