Saltovo-Mayaki Culture, 9th century AD. A bronze and iron Khazar horse bitprising a round-section bar originally joined at the centre with loops, a ring attached to a separate bronze transverse cheekpiece. See Pletnjeva, S.A., ‘Ot kochevij k gorodam (Saltovo-Majackaja kultura)’ in Materialy i lssledovanij a 142, Moskva-Leningrad, 1967. 66.7 grams total, 10.5cm wide each (4"). Private collection of Mr M.B., Mainz, Germany, 1990s. Property of a London binessman. From the end of the 9th century AD, the Khazars and the Kabarians replaced the snaffle bits with S-shaped cheekpieces with bits equipped with nail-type bronze or iron cheekpieces (Pletneva, 1967, p.167), a type which was found in the Saltovo horse burials no.3 and 4. In these graves, the iron bits were found underneath the horse skulls at a depth of 1.7-1.9 m. [2, No Reserve]