Origins of Shared Identity

We know people took care of the Horse over the years, but what are its origins? Several theories exist. According to John Aubrey’s Monumenta Britannica, the Horse was either made by the Saxons or the Celts. He credits the Saxon chieftains Hengist and Horsa, but also the pre-Roman Britons because of the Horse’s “resemblance to the figures on certain British coins” (Fig 1)Schwyzer, “The Scouring” p. 45.. Another striking interpretation of the Horse’s origins popped up in 1738, when Oxford librarian Francis Wise labelled the Horse a monument of the West Saxons to commemorate King Alfred’s victory over the Danes at the Battle of Ashdown in A.D. 871Schwyzer, “The Scouring” p. 47..

Despite Wise’s theory of a Saxon origin, there were still those favouring the Celts as the original makers of the Horse. At some point in the previous century, archaeologists reached a near absolute agreement on the Horse being Celtic, not just because of the British coins, but also because of Iron Age artefacts that were found on the hill and some additional evidence of Celtic origins in early Welsh poetrySchwyzer, “The Scouring” p. 50.. We now know that the Horse dates back to the Late Bronze Age, but what these theories of origin show is that the Horse is linked to crucial moments in England’s history, having to do with figures like King Arthur and King Alfred. Whether Saxon or Celtic, then, the chalk figure serves as a testament to England’s early history that remains clearly visible in the present. The Horse therefore contributes to a sense of shared identity for the people surrounding it over time.