Bronze Chariot

The chariots were the elite arm of ancient Indian armies during the Vedic periods and Epic periods, i.e., 1500 to 600 BCE. These were frequently used in the ancient South Indian temples to celebrate an event called Rathotsava, and hence the chariot gets its name as Rath in Hindi. Only the best of these chariots could make it to the Rathotsava, and those that were no longer in the best shape had to be discarded in an open field as these could no longer carry the divine idols.

The chariot was a light vehicle that moved on two wheels and was drawn by one or more horses. It could sometimes accommodate two people - often a driver and fighter. Its initial use as a vehicle of transportation quickly became a military asset in Eurasia between 1700 BCE to 500 BCE. It was used for hunting purposes or, in the case of sporting contents by the Romans. Chariot racing was a seasoned game in Homer and their ancient Olympics.

Karna once helped a small child when she had spilled milk on the ground and feared beating her mother. A kind Karna jumped into the situation and twisted the ground and hence the mother Earth. Mother Earth was engaged and had to suffer unbearable pain and cursed Karna that she would not help him and instead would attempt to make him lose in the battle whenever the opportunity arose. It is how his chariot wheel got stuck in the Earth.

Chariot racing was quite a popular sport, and ancient charioteers enjoyed huge public attention. A typical race had 12 chariots racing in the team, and the team of four was called faction. However, the chariots needed to work as fast as possible to win the race, and thus, to gather speed, they needed good horses and light chariots. These were quite dangerous as the driver could be thrown and trampled. As a result, the race declined in popularity during the seven centuries after war broke out between Romans and Arabs.

Ancient historians believe that chariots were used in around 2000 BCE. The origin is traced to Mesopotamia and was later adopted by other civilizations as well. Apart from their use in warfare, these were used to entertain the masses by the use of chariot races with high stakes. Byzantine Empire and Romans started the races to display their social ranking and political power. One of the famous recorded versions of a charioteer was Roman - Porphyrius, who raced during 5 to 6th century CE.

Chariot racing was an extremely dangerous sport, and the driver always had a high risk of getting thrown from the open chariot or trampled or dragged to his death. It was quite common as a large number of riders got caught in the reins. Also, the chariots were quite heavy and hence needed a great degree of skill to avoid toppling over or handling difficult terrain. Even though the same was considered an adventure sport yet the same was not entirely easy to use daily.

A major reason for the decline of the chariot as the tool for wars was that it was extremely expensive to maintain. Also, the horses had to be bred high enough to use and ride. Once horses were strong enough, the chariot was discarded as the latter needed flat and unobstructed grounds to operate. Hence, the last known use of chariots in the battle between Romans and Caledonii in the Mons Graupius. It was in 84 AD.

The two-wheeler version of the chariot was the prime tool of the battlefield. The same has higher maneuverable nature. These were able to attain better speed by using a team of 2 or 4 onagers. It was the lighter version of the original one invented in early Mesopotamia in about 3000 BC. The horse was used as a draft animal around 2000 BC, and this was how the chariot found its way into military warfare. The chariot was also the major cause of victory for the Egyptians in the early 2nd millennium BC. However, Egyptians were already using chariots by 1435 BC that had four spoked wheels.

The printed version of the song titled - She'll be coming round the mountain that appeared in the American song bag in 1927 (owner - Carl Sandburg) was inspired by a similar song that was believed to be written in the 1800s. This song was based on an old Negro anthem titled - When the Chariot comes which is often sung in melody. It was quite famous and spread quickly through the Appalachian trail, and the lyrics were modified. The later versions were quite popular in work gangs, especially in the midwestern United States in the 1890s.

Chariot originated in early Mesopotamia in about 3000 BC. These were found in monuments of Ur and Tutub and depicted the use of these vehicles in the battle parade. These include heavy-duty chariots that used solid wheels and bodywork made from wood and skins. A typical racing chariot used four horses and, as a result, could run faster. In the earliest versions of these chariots, the wheels rotated around a fixed axle. It was in turn linked to a draft pole to the yoke of a pair of oxen. These Mesopotamian chariots were mounted by both spearman and charioteer.

Chariot racing is one of the oldest equine sports, which is believed to be a sport that started the ancient Olympic games. However, chariot racing saw a revival in 1959 through the epic movie - Ben Hur. In 1929, Wyoming chariot racing was an excellent pastime during the winters. However, many drivers were thrown out from the broken or overturned chariot. Since the game is extremely expensive and riders are prone to injuries, etc. It is why chariot racing is not in vogue.