The Euphrates Handmade Syrian Horses and Riders (EU_HSHRs ) are zoomorphic clay figurines representing horses and horses with riders. They date from the late Iron Age period (mid 8th–7th centuries BCE) and were produced in the Middle Euphrates region, alongside anthropomorphic figures known as Euphrates Syrian Pillar Figurines (EU_SPFs).

The term "Euphrates Handmade Syrian Horses and Riders" has been recently proposed by B. Bolognani.^[1] It emphasises their geographic origin, the manufacturing technique, and the portrayed subjects. However, various other terms are also used in scholarly literature:

• Horses and Horsemen or Horse, Horse-and-rider^[2]
• Handgemachte Reiterfiguren des 1. Jahrtausends (HR), Typ I(?) ("Handmade rider-figurines of the 1st millennium BC (HR), Type I(?)")^[3]
• Horses and Horse Riders^[4]

EU_HSHR figurines are attested only west of the Euphrates and, in particular, the Euphrates valley seems to be the main centre of production. From this area several specimens have been collected at Carchemish, Tell Ahmar, Tell Amarna, Deve Höyük, Tell Shiukh Fawqani, Saraga Höyük, and Zeytinli Bahçe Höyük. The figurines are linked only to sites with a strong Neo-Assyrian presence as a result of prolonged control. The figurines do not appear at other nearby sites where the Neo-Assyrian invasion caused socio-economic impoverishment, such as Tell Sheikh Hassan, Tell Qara Quzaq, Tell Qara Quyu Tahtani, and Tell Khamis. Outside the Euphrates’ catchment area, there are sporadic finds to the west at sites like Zincirli Höyük, Tell Judaidah, Chatal Höyük, Tell Tayinat, Tell Abu Danne, and likely in Tell Rifaat and Neirab.^[7]

According to contextual data, these figurines are attested in some Middle Euphrates sites during the mature Iron Age. In archaeological contexts, such artefacts usually come from upper layers dating from the Neo-Assyrian period (7th century BCE), but the beginning of production falls at the end of Neo-Syrian period (mid/late 8th century BCE). At the site of Carchemish, for example, the majority of finds belong to Iron Age III layers, but a minority came from Iron Age II layers.^[8]

• Euphrates Syrian Pillar Figurines