The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c10.498.1

v1.c10.498.1

Nor was this fondness for the decoration of their chariots a peculiarity among the Hindus. The other great nations of ancient times were equally ardent in their desire to display their wealth and consequence by profusely ornamenting their cars. "The later chariots of the Assyrians", says Mr. Layard, "were often completely covered with ornaments; those represented on earlier monuments had a very elegant moulding or border, round the sides. They were probably inlaid with gold, silver and precious woods; and also painted. Such were the chariots obtained by the Egyptians from Naharaina, (Mesopotamia), fifteen centuries before Christ. In the statistical tablet of Karnak are mentioned thirty chariots worked with gold and silver with painted poles as brought from that country,"²⁵⁹ These, as already shown above, are believed by a competent archaeologist to have been of Indian origin, (*ante* p. [130]). Much of the precious ornaments mentioned by Sanskrit writers was doubtless, due to lively fancy and poetical imagery; but their descriptions imply a substratum of some ornament in addition to the absolute constructive requirements of the vehicles. What those ornaments exactly were, it is of course impossible to ascertain; but the frequent mention of gold and precious stones as materials of decoration, would suggest the idea of their having been to some extent used, the rest being made of brass knobs and plates, many coloured cloths, fringes of netting, and tassels.