Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1900-01-19
THE CHARIOT OF OLD
A GRIM REMINDER OF THE comRArs
OF THE HEROIC PERIOD.

VT Ute 06nOI 6hIOO
hi Vehicle Was Used In the Day.
OF Antiquity For the Battle, the
Chase, In ProcessiOns and In
Games-How 1t Was Constructed.
The chariot was used in antiquity
for the battle, the chase, in public pro-
cessions and In games. 1t had two
wheels and was drawn by two horses,
and when n or two horses were add
ed they were attached to each side of
the main pair BY a side trace, fastened
to the front of the chariot.
These chariots have only come down
to us in fragments, with the exception
Of the n in the archaeological muse
UNI of Florence, which is a unique ex-
ample of a war chariot, the SO called
"Biga di Frassino," found by Rosseli-
e in a Thebes tomb. 1t is certainly
as old as the fourteenth century B. G.
1t is probably u trophy obtained in the
north by some Egyptian warrior.
There is an entire absence Of metal
in the construction. Immediately on
the axle, without springs of any kind,
rests the basket, or body, Of the chart
OF, which consisted Of a floor to stand
on and q semicircular guard. around
the front and about half the height Of
the driver. 1t is entirely open at the
back, so that the combatants might
leap to the ground and up again, as be-
came necessary by the ~exigencies Of
action Thoro uoo M coo< ond ~onov
ally in war chariots there was only
room for the combatant and his 'chari-
oteer to stand in.
The pole, as in the present instance,
was usually attached to the middle Of
the axle, although to outward appear
ances it looked as though it sprang
from the front of the basket. At the
end Of the pole was the yoke, which
looked like a rams horns. Depending
from this by leather thongs was a Y
shaped piece, which probably took
the place of the modern horse collar.
Probably broad bands were, also fitted
around the chest Of the animals.
Besides the harness Of each horse
there were a bride and a pair of refns
SOLlCW udS IL IAS Sdl1C style us dIS Ill
useatthe present day. These were made
Of leather and were ornamented with
studs of ivory and metal. The reins
were passed through rings attached
to the collar and were long enough to
be tied around the waist of the chariot
eer in case of his having to defend him.
self.
The wheels and body were usually of
wood, strengthened in places with
bronze or iron. The wheels had from
four to eight spokes. and the tires
were Of bronze or iron lin the present
instance ash was used). and the pins
which secured the fellies were Of fossil
bone.
This description applied to the chari-
OTIS Of almost any Of the nations of an
tiquity, the difference consisting chief
ly in the mountings. Thus the chariots
Of the Egyptians and Assyrians. with
whom the bow was the principal arm
of attack. were richly mounted with
quivers full Of arrows. while those Of
the Greeks. who used the spear, were
plain except Us regards mere decora-
I4OAo. AAV 1 81 ! anu llle duCltul
BritonS used Il class Of chariots having
the wheels mounted with sharp, sickle
shaped blades. which cut to pieces
whatever came in their way. This was
probably the invention Of the Persians.
The use Of the battle chariot really
belongs to the heroic period. The war
rior, standing by the side Of his chariot
oor NO 1riuon in front 10 tho 1;-o IN
invite hostile warriors to single COM
bat After the strategic skill of a COM
mander superseded the demands oh
his personal valor the chariot was
transferred from the battlefield to the
hippodrome, where alone it's original
form was preserved. The description
Of the Homeric battle chariot, there
fore, to a great extent also applies to
the historic chariot of the race course.
The small diameter Of the chariot
wheel may be explained from the de-
sire of preventing the chariot from be-
ing opposed by the impediments in the
battlefield, such as debris or dead bod
les. The rim was usually formed Of
four fellies, into which. the four spokes
were let. The upper rail. which was of
either wood or metal, varied greatly in
form and was intended to be grasped
by the warrior on jumping on to the
chariot, while the front part served for
fastening the reins and the traces Of
the wheel horses" In the Roman tri
umphal chariot a covering Of leather
served to ward of missiles. and later
on the sides were composed of strong
boards.
Unfortunately we know very little of
the vehicles Of everyday use in those
days. They nearly all seem to be a va
riety OF what we now term the "gig."-
Scientific American.
No Excuse For Chimneys.
MISUNDERSTANDING that we have lon3