type of piece is usually found in pairs, which may also tie in with the "master of the animals" cult that was associated with many cultures in the ancient Near East circa 1000-100 B.C. These plaques are attributed to the Ordos culture, which was located in modern day Eastern Mongolia and Southern Siberia. Most Ordos bronzes of this type can also be associated with the Xiongnu, who were a Mongolian steppes nomadic tribe that had to contend with the Chinese during the Han period. The term "Ordos bronzes" has been applied rather indiscriminately to all "animal style" objects found in the vast northern border areas with China, irrespective of place of discovery or dating. What is known is that the two plaques offered here stylistically match other examplesfound in Eastern Mongolia and Southern Siberia. For the type see "Nomadic Art of the Eastern Eurasian Steppes: The Eugene V. Thaw and Other New York Collections", Yale University Press, 2002. The pieces offered here show a standing animal which resembles a wolf, which is seen devouring it's prey, which appears to be a horned ibex. The horned ibex is seen with it's head in the mouth of the wolf, and it's curved horn is seen on the ground, as head of the ibex is seen turned around with a twisted elongated neck. In addition, the ibex may be a young baby animal, which may also explain the size difference between both the ibex and the wolf, but in reality, the ibex portrayed on these plaques may be