A team of archaeological experts has restored the original appearance of a valuable chariot from the Western Zhou dynasty, covered in bronze and adorned with 10,000 pieces of turquoise.
The chariot, measuring 3 meters wide, dates back to around 800 BC during the Western Zhou period and was discovered near the first capital of this dynasty in present-day Shaanxi Province. The vehicle features two wooden wheels with a bronze-covered frame, decorated with numerous metal and gemstone carvings.
“This is the most luxurious chariot from the Western Zhou period that we have ever dated,” commented Professor Wang Liqin and his colleagues from the Cultural Heritage School at Northwest University in a paper published in the university’s journal (Natural Science Edition) on October 20.
Front view of the chariot. (Photo: SCMP).
What surprised researchers the most was the existence of 10,000 pieces of turquoise, one of the most valuable stones from the Bronze Age. Wang’s research team spent hours working with advanced scientific equipment to understand the intricate and elaborate decoration process of the chariot. The chariot comprises over 400 bronze components, with craftsmen creating numerous precise small holes to attach decorative materials. Additionally, each gemstone was cut and polished to fit perfectly into the bronze details.
When discovered in 2014 in Hejia, a village on the outskirts of Baoji City, the chariot was in such poor condition that it was mistaken for a type of vehicle commonly used for transporting goods or as a weapon. The excavation site is located in a fertile field that was once the first capital of the Zhou dynasty. The Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty around 1046 BC and ruled for nearly 800 years, longer than any dynasty in Chinese history.
Archaeologists have unearthed a large number of artifacts and materials in the region, including inscriptions on bones, workshops, and foundations of pyramid-like structures. However, around 700 BC, at the end of the Western Zhou period, invasions by nomadic tribes from the west forced the Zhou emperor to retreat eastward, leaving behind many fortifications, including the area where the chariot was excavated.
The archaeological team discovered the site while examining aerial photographs of agricultural land and noticed a patch of land where rice was growing faster than in other areas of the field, indicating that there was an object buried beneath. Wang’s team is still working to uncover the identity of the chariot’s owner. They speculate that this individual belonged to the ruling class of society. In addition to the decoration costs, researchers also found the remains of four black horses buried in front of the chariot and four red horses nearby, indicating that this person had the means to afford and care for two different teams of horses.
Wheeled chariots with spokes appeared on the steppes of present-day Russia and Ukraine around 4,000 years ago. These vehicles were widely used in ancient times. Most ancient chariots that have been excavated are very small and lightweight, designed for high speed and maneuverability, making the chariot found in Shaanxi, which is larger than modern cars, quite rare.
