Thracian Chariot?

[Cimon]

I came across this article (really more of a blurb) in the San Francisco Chronicle: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2008/08/07/international/i052505D89.DTL

According to the article, the chariot found is 1900 years old, which would put it in the first century AD. I would have thought chariots would no longer be around by that time, certainly in an area with such a heavy Hellenic/Hellenistic influence and later Roman influence. Are there any experts out there that want to enlighten me (us)?

[Maion Maroneios]

Dear Cimon, though the article and the discovery itself sounds interesting, it doesn't tell us something that we didn't know.

Finding a chariot in a tomb doesn't mean there where chariot units that fought at that time, as we all know they where pretty much extinct by that time. Chariots where widely used as a mean of transport, even way after the time that one was found.

Also, they where used in festivals and such and that one may have carried the body of the dead man in the tomb during his funeral ceremony or something.

Maion

[konny]

You are absolutly right. For example, the Romans used chariots in their triumphs loooooooong after they had ceased to field any in battle. It would be the same as officers today riding horses on parades in some armies doesn't follow that these armies use cavalry in modern battles.

[Cimon]

Well, I knew that it wasn't being used in battle, but I was still surprised to find it among grave goods. I mean, yes, the Romans certainly used chariots in triumphs, but no one was buried with one, as far as I know. Granted, there is a certain amount of difference in burial goods based on culture, etc., but I guess I was still surprised that a Thracian would be buried with one, even at that time.

Thanks for the answers though, guys. Appreciate it.

[MeinPanzer]

Well, I knew that it wasn't being used in battle, but I was still surprised to find it among grave goods. I mean, yes, the Romans certainly used chariots in triumphs, but no one was buried with one, as far as I know. Granted, there is a certain amount of difference in burial goods based on culture, etc., but I guess I was still surprised that a Thracian would be buried with one, even at that time.

Thanks for the answers though, guys. Appreciate it.

If you search around through Bulgarian news sites, quite a number of these have been found in the last few years, though this is the best preserved. I believe they all date from the 1st c. BC - 2nd c. AD or so.

[kekailoa]

Of course, there were heavy Celtic influences and although mainland Celts hadn't used the chariot for centuries, it still was a part of ceremonial ritual. So maybe a certain portion of this find was due to that.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

The Thrakians were keen on grave goods, like the Celts, the Romans and Greeks much less so by this period. Personally I think it has a lot to do with monarchy.