Bronze Statuette of a Rider Wearing an Elephant Skin in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, June 2009

Statuette of a horse or elephant rider, 3rd century b.c.; Hellenistic
Greek; Said to be from ancient Athribis, Egypt
Bronze
H. 9 3/4 in. (24.8 cm)
Edith Perry Chapman Fund, 1955 (55.11.11)

This bronze statuette of a youth is depicted with the skin and scalp of an elephant drawn up over his head and tied in a knot across his chest. Originally, he held in his left hand the reins of a horse or elephant, now missing; in his right hand, he may have held a crop. The statuette may depict Demetrios I of Bactria, who is represented on coins wearing the scalp of an elephant in recognition of his conquests in India. Other possible identifications include Alexander the Great, who is similarly represented, and Ptolemy III Euergetes of Egypt.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/alex/ho_55.11.11.htm