Chariot

ancient history · transportation · horses · invention

The spoked wheel. The invention of the spoked wheel was the key to making chariots possible. Before this, wheels were solid and heavy, but spoked wheels were lighter and stronger, which meant horses could pull chariots fast enough to be useful in battle and travel.

Horse power matters. Chariots were driven by horses, not humans, which gave them their incredible speed. A charioteer controlled the horses while other people on the chariot fought or did important tasks, making chariots perfect for ancient armies.

Found in burials. The oldest known chariots were discovered in burials from the Sintashta culture around 1950 to 1880 BC in what is now Russia. Archaeologists believe ancient people valued chariots so much that they buried them with important people to use in the afterlife.

Drawn on seals. Cylinder seals from Central Anatolia around 1900 BC show pictures of chariots, giving us clues about how people in ancient times used them. These seal prints are like ancient advertisements that tell us chariots were already important thousands of years ago.

Cart with style. A chariot was similar to a cart but designed for speed and action instead of carrying heavy cargo. Warriors and rulers rode in chariots to show their power and to move quickly across battlefields.