These steeds are fit for a king - and trusted enough to take him out hunting lions
FOR over 1,000 years, the Caspian horse of Persia was thought to be extinct. Then, in 1965, two stallions and a mare were discovered just outside Tehran.
Ancient writings and artefacts provide evidence that horses of the Caspian type existed as early as 3,000 BC. The British Museum has a terracotta plaque from second millennium BC Mesopotamia which depicts a small horse, ridden with a nose ring. During the Mongolian Wars, however, and again during the revolution in Iran, much of the documentation relating to the Caspian was destroyed.
It is known that these horses were highly prized for ceremonial use, as well as for their agility. King Shapur (AD 260) and King Ardashir I (AD 224) are both shown on stone reliefs which depict small horses standing no more than waist high. Two horses of Caspian type were presented as gifts to King Darius the Great, as recorded on the stone staircase of the ancient Palace at Persepolis.
The gift horses probably originated from Hamadan, where recent excavations revealed bones thought to be those of the early Caspian horse. More artefacts which form part of the Oxus Treasure show small horses of a similar type. Further proof of the . esteem in which the Caspian was held lies in the inclusion of this tiny horse on the royal seal of King Darius in 500 BC (see picture below). A king's fatness to rule was judged by his bravery and prowess at killing lions set loose in his Persian game park so, for the horses harnessed to his chariot, acceleration and agility was crucial.