heavy cavalry engaging heavy cavalry

[Michael Kerr]

Hi Moi, I agree with you that the animals of both reliefs look different. Could be the artist wanted to show that these archers are not trained horsemen but foot archers on horseback. Maybe a mule but with the date of the relief around 850 BC where mid east civilizations switched to horses from onagers/asses around the beginning of 2nd millennium BC for various reasons including the fact that the onager was weaker than the horse, seems a bit late for onagers. Chariots with onagers were popular with Sumerians with teams of 4 onagers and 4 wheels. I have another image from same book supposedly of an Egyptian battle scene from 1350BC where the rider is sitting on the back of a horse or onager in a "donkey seat" position. The author suggests because of the long reins the rider is fleeing the conflict on an escaped chariot horse. Could be trying to depict how an inexperienced rider would sit on a horse or maybe this horse is an onager or ass. Hyksos were thought to have brought horses to Egypt around 1500BC.

[attachment=7867]egyptiandonkeyseat.jpg[/attachment]

Regards
Michael Kerr