Wagons on the move: The study of wagons through landscape archaeology

Mattia Raccidi

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2013.08.018

Abstract

Wagons from Early Bronze Age northern Mesopotamia are the main subject of the present paper. We can reconstruct their morphology and (partially) their function on the basis of different documents: terracotta models, representations on glyptic and other kind of support, written sources.This study considers a range of computational approaches for modelling ancient tracks and pathways throughout the development of a GIS platform and recurring to a series of spatial statistics methods, with the main aim to investigate the movement, in particular that on wagons.The investigated area is part of the so called “Khabur Triangle”, corresponding to modern north-eastern Syria. In particular this area is included between the wadi Jaghjagh (east) and the wadi Aweidj (west) and it comprises many important Early Bronze Age sites (such as Tell Brak, Tell Beydar, Tell Arbid, Tell Barri, Tell Chagar Bazar) with conspicuous documentations related to wagons (models, glyptic representations, written sources).

Highlights

First attestations of wheeled-vehicles in the Ancient Near East come from Uruk
The proto-cuneiform signs from the end of the 4th millennium BC represent a sledge sustained by four wheels or two rollers that could be considered as archetype of the 3rd millennium BC wagons
The evolution of wheeled-vehicles is confirmed by the discovery of four-wheeled chariots in tombs at Ur and Kish dating back to the first half of the 3rd millennium BC, in addition to the so-called Standard of Ur that represents a procession of four-wheeled war chariots

Summary

Introduction

First attestations of wheeled-vehicles in the Ancient Near East come from Uruk. The proto-cuneiform signs from the end of the 4th millennium BC represent a sledge sustained by four wheels or two rollers that could be considered as archetype of the 3rd millennium BC wagons. Wagon; hollow ways; landscape of movement; landscape archaeology; Ancient Near East.

Results

Conclusion