Bucephalus (brand)

Bucephalus (Gr "ox-headed", from "polytonic|βους", "ox", and "polytonic|κεφαλή", "head") was a type of branding mark anciently used on horses. It was one of the three most common, besides "Ϻ", San, and "Ϙ", Koppa. Those horses marked with a San were called "Σαμφόραι", Samphorai; those with a Koppa, "polytonic|Κοππατίαι", Koppatiai; and those with an ox's head, "Βουκέφαλοι", Bucephali.

This mark was stamped on the horse's buttocks, and his harnesses, as appears from the scholiast on Aristophanes's "The Clouds", Hesychius, etc.