An engineering study of a Bronze Age war chariot

The Bronze Age crossbar wheel found in the XIX century in Mercurago (Italy) is an amazing example of the technical innovations stimulated by the diffusion of horse draught war chariots in Europe across the third and second millennium b.C. In this paper the tools of modern engineering were used to study the structural issues concerning the wheel and the chariot it should be attached to. In particular, the laser-scanner technology and finite element analysis were used for investigating the dimensional, shape and assembly issues of the wheel, as well as for assessing its structural integrity under operating conditions. The role of the inserted nave, which could be similar to modern bushings, was particularly emphasised, as it is a very innovative solution for that time. The performance of a war chariot equipped by this wheel was studied by means of a vehicle dynamics simulation software, hypothesizing two different chariot structures on the basis of Armenian and Egyptian evidences respectively. The former is probably more similar to the chariot to whom the Mercurago wheel was attached; the latter is technically much more advanced. The results of the analysis allowed obtaining important information about the chariot stability, reliability and structural integrity.