From Greece and Rome to the Pictish tribes, this half-horse, half-fish animal is a beautifully carved practical art piece. At first glance, the box appears to be a knotwork horse, but on further investigation we were delighted to find a fish tail in amidst the knotwork!
The hippocampus of Greek and Roman legend pulled the chariot of Poseidon, and Etruscan hippocampi were a theme in tomb paintings. The Pictish version is found on carvings, and may be a carryover of the Romans who invaded.
This box is 4x6" and made of carved wood with no latch.