Observations on the Evolving Chariot Wheel in the 18th Dynasty

Abstract

It is generally believed that horse-drawn chariot was introduced into Egypt by Hyksos, and that it originated somewhere in area of Syria-Palestine.1 Egyptian literary references to chariots occur as early as reigns of Kamose,2 17th Dynasty king who took first steps in freeing Egypt from Hyksos, and Ahmose,3 founder of 18th Dynasty. Pictorial representations, however, do not appear until slightly later in 18th Dynasty. Two of earliest scenes are found in tomb of Rennie of El Kab4 (possibly dating to reign of Amenhotep I), and in tomb of User5 (reign of Thutmose I). Professor Yigael Yadin maintains that during earlier part of 18th Dynasty, Egyptian chariot was exactly like Canaanite chariot :6 both were constructed of light flexible wood, with leather straps wrapped around wood to strengthen it, and both utilized wheels with four spokes. In Yadin's eyes four-spoked wheel is diagnostic for dating purposes; it is restricted to early period of 18th Dynasty. It remained in vogue, he says, until reign of Thutmose IV, when the Egyptian chariot begins to off its Canaanite influence and undergo considerable change.7 Yadin believes that eight-spoked wheel, which is seen on body of Thutmose IV's chariot,8 was an experiment by Egyptian wheelwrights, who, when it proved unsuccessful, settled thereafter for six-spoked wheel. In short, So widespread and meticulous is delineation of number of wheel spokes on chariots depicted on Egyptian monuments that they can be used as a criterion for determining whether monument is earlier or later than 1400 B.C.9 Yadin's observations raise two questions. First, is number of spokes in wheel of chariot as reliable a dating tool as he suggests? Secondly, what prompted change from fourto six-spoked wheel? Was it purely a way to shake off Canaanite influences, or was there a more practical motivation for shift? A chariot scene from tomb of Ken-Amun10 (dated to reign of Amenhotep II) shows a partially obliterated chariot. Four-spoked wheels are invariably depicted with spokes in a 12, 6, 3, and 9 o'clock position, but in this scene two visible spokes point toward 12 and 4 o'clock; this indicates a six-spoked wheel. The introduction of six-spoked wheel did not herald immediate end of four-spoked wheel, for Amenhotep II himself is shown driving a chariot of older type on red granite block discovered by M. H. Chevrier,11 as is Userhet, an official in his court.12 Subsequently we find Thutmose IV riding a chariot with eight-spoked wheels in scene which for Yadin marked beginning of shift away from four-spoked wheel.13 As we have seen, however, there is evidence of a wheel with six spokes in preceeding reign, and we conclude that shift began before 1400 B.C. Possibly chariot of Thutmose IV was produced in a period when experimentation was still in progress, or alternatively, chariot was custom made according to king's specifications. Either explanation might seem plausible, since until recently no other 18th Dynasty Egyptian chariot wheels with eight spokes had come to light. However, while browsing through some of assembled talatat scenes in Akhenaton Temple Project office in Cairo, writer came across a processional scene in which Akhenaton is shown riding in a chariot that had eight spokes in its