Chariot burials are tombs in which the deceased was buried together with his chariot, usually including his (more rarely, her) horses and other possessions.

The earliest chariots known are from chariot burials of the Andronovo (Timber-Grave) sites of the Sintashta-Petrovka culture in modern Russia, clustering along the upper Tobol river, southeast of Magnitogorsk, from around 2000 BC, containing spoke-wheeled chariots drawn by teams of two horses. This culture is at least partially derived from the earlier Yamna culture, where some wagon-burials are found, and is generally accepted as an early Proto-Indo-Iranian culture. The Krivoye Ozero chariot grave contained a horse skull, three pots, two bridle cheek pieces, and points of spears and arrows.^[1]

Later chariot burials are found in China, the most famous was discovered in 1933 at Hougang, Anyang of central China's Henan Province, dating to the rule of King Wu Ding of the Yin Dynasty (ca. 1200 BC). A Western Zhou (9th century BC) chariot burial was unearthed at Zhangjiapo, Chang'an in 1955.^[2]

In Europe, chariot burial was mainly an Iron Age Celtic custom. A tomb from the 4th century BC was discovered in La Gorge-Meillet (Marne, France).^[3] The only Etruscan find dates to ca. 530 BC, and is preserved in pristine quality, see Etruscan chariot.

In Britain, chariot burials are characteristic of, and almost confined to, the Iron Age Arras culture associated with the Parisii tribe. Finds of such burials are rare, and the persons interred were presumably chieftains or other wealthy notables. The Wetwang chariot burial of ca. 300 BC is an exception in that a woman was interred with the chariot.^[4] Some 21 British sites are known, spanning approximately four centuries, virtually all in the East Riding of Yorkshire.^[5] The Ferrybridge and Newbridge chariots are unusual in Britain as they are the only ones to be buried intact.^[6] The burial custom seems to have disappeared with the Roman occupation of Britain.

[edit] See also

• Ship burial
• Sun chariot
• Prehistoric Britain
• The King's Grave
• Newbridge chariot

[edit] References

1. ^ David S. Anthony, The Horse, The Wheel and Language: How Bronze Age riders from the Eurasian steppes shaped the modern world (2007), pp. 397-405.
2. ^ TRavel China Guide: Western Zhou Chariot Burial Pit
3. ^ Le Musée des Antiquités nationales: Les Âges du fer: La tombe à char de « La Gorge-Meillet »
4. ^ British Museum: The Wetwang Chariot Burial
5. ^ Yorkshire History: Iron Age Chariot Burials
6. ^ British Archaeology 76, May 2004