Medieval Gilded Donkey Figurine

A gilded bronze donkey with a bridle of browband, noseband, cheek-strap and throat-strap. A hole in its back suggests a saddle or pannier. The gilding has mostly worn away on the centre back. The four hooves are clearly defined and the long tail hangs straight. The ears sit up straight and the mouth is slightly open. Opposing holes on the mouth suggest a bit and reins were attached. Domestic donkeys have origins in Egypt c.4000BC. They were vital to trade route expansion and later the Roman Empire relied on donkeys as pack animals to navigate routes such as the Silk Road from the second-century BC.