«The horse, called Ekvo in ancient Venet, a totem-animal in European proto-history, played a major role in their culture. These animals were reared because of their economic value and as a symbol of aristocratic and military dominance. The horses of the Veneti were well known because of their running speed and often reproduced in ex votos, in the most sacred areas. Hundreds of bronze statuettes in the shape of a horse or rider on horseback come from religious sites in ancient Veneto. Horses had dedicated burial grounds in necropolises. The horse appears in several artefacts as symbolic image or decoration element, as well as in some burials, alongside the man who had taken care of him while alive.»