Char′i-ot.
1. An ancient twowheeled vehicle, drawn by horses attached to a pole, and used in state processions, in warfare, and for racing.
The
Egyptian chariot was light, made principally of wood, and rested on an axle upon which the wheels were secured by linch-pins.
In many cases, however, it would appear that the wheels were fixed to the axle, which turned with them.
The floor of the car was sometimes made of latticed thongs, to give it a certain amount of elasticity to the rider, who always stood, unless he sat on the edge, as the car had no seat.
The body was strengthened with leather and metallic bands.
The pole was inserted into the middle of the axle, and rested in front upon saddles which bore upon the withers of the horses and were secured in place by collars and belly-bands.
The chariots had invariably two wheels, which were strengthened at the junctions of the fellies by bronze bands and bound with metallic tires.
In some cases the fellies appear to have been made by bending a single strip around a former.
The pole, according to
Homer, was about 13 1/2 feet long, and the yoke was attached to it by a strap and a pin, and sometimes was connected by a single trace to a part nearer to the chariot.
No double traces are noticed.
The accompanying cut shows the war-chariot with all its rigging, bowcases, quivers, and maces.
The arrangements are graceful, and the ornamentation is florid.
Chariots represented on the ruins at
Persepolis are the same in essential points of construction.
The horses are hitched by a yoke to the carriage — pole, the saddles resting on the withers, as before stated in regard to the
Egyptian mode.
A four--wheeled hearse occurs on several of the tomb-paintings in
Egypt.
See hearse.
Fig. 1253, from
Wilkinson, represents an ancient Scythian car actually found in
Egypt and preserved in the
Florentine Museum.
It is believed to have been taken as a spoil from Scythia by the
Egyptian conqueror.
|
Scythian chariot. |
War-chariots do not appear in any
Egyptian monuments prior to the eighteenth dynasty.
The price of an Egyptian chariot in the time of Solomon was 600 shekels of silver, about $300; an immense price, considering the then value of money.
The first horses and chariots are represented at Eileithyias at the time of
Ames or Amosis, about
[
529]
1510 B. C. They do not appear to have been used in
Egypt during the time of the Osirtasens.
Herodotus says that “the Greeks learnt from the Libyans to yoke four horses to a chariot” (iv.
189). It is, however, mentioned by
Homer (
Iliad, VIII. 185;
Odyssey, XIII. 81).
In the
Assyrian chariots a spare horse was sometimes attached by a single inside trace to the chariot.
The
Lydians, it is said, had sometimes several poles to their chariots and horses between each.
This resembles the modern shafts.
The origin of shafts, however, must be looked for in another direction.
In the primitive form, shafts consisted of a pair of poles attached by girth and breast-band to the sides of a horse and dragging behind.
The load was laid upon the rear end. Thus the
North American Indians move their lodges.
In the triumphal procession of
Ptolemy Philadelphus were: —
24 chariots drawn by 4 elephants each.
60 chariots drawn by 2 goats each.
12 chariots drawn by antelopes.
7 chariots drawn by oryxes.
15 chariots drawn by buffaloes.
8 chariots drawn by 2 ostriches each.
7 chariots drawn by gnus.
4 chariots drawn by 2 zebras each.
4 chariots drawn by 4 zebras each.
On all these animals rode boys wearing wideawake hats (
petasi).
The chariot of the Greeks and Romans had two wheels, and but one pole usually, although some of the Lydian chariots had two or even three poles.
|
Roman chariot. |
The body had an elevated forward portion, answering to our
dash-board, and called the
antyx. The annexed cut
a is from an ancient chariot preserved in the Vatican.
The body was sometimes of light openwork, or even of wicker.
The pole was the sole means of draft, and was mortised into the axle.
Two horses were always used.
If more were added, each was attached by a trace on the side towards the pole-horses.
The yoke was attached by a pin to the pole, and rested just in front of the withers of the horses.
They pulled by the yoke, which was secured by breast-bands and surcingles to the animals.
See harness.
This mode of drawing was universal.
The lateral horse had a collar, from whence the trace passed to the rim of the car.
One exception, perhaps, must be made.
It is possible that the
Roman cisium, a kind of gig, had shafts, and was drawn by one horse.
The axle was usually of oak, but sometimes of ilex, ash, or elm. The body was secured thereto, and to the pole, which was mortised into the axle and braced or strengthened by irons.
The spindles or arms of the axle were of wood; no
skeins, so far as we are informed.
The wheels revolved on, not with, the axles, and were secured by linch-pins.
They consisted of nave, spokes, fellies, and tire, all usually of wood.
We read of bronze tires, but they were exceptional.
The fellies were bent.
The ancient
Britons were celebrated for their skill and prowess in chariot-warfare.
Their chariots were open in front instead of behind; the poles were wide, and the charioteer ran out upon the pole and discharged his javelin (
cateia), even standing upon the yoke, and then retreating to the car.
The skill of the ancient
Britons in chariot-driving filled
Julius Caesar with astonishment.
See carriage; cart.
Chariot-wheels of bronze are preserved in the
Berlin Museum, and one of wood of ancient
Egypt is in the
Abbott Collection, New York Historical Society.
2. The modern chariot is a stately four-wheeled pleasure-carriage having one seat.