Bronocice pot

Bronocice pot

The Bronocice pot is a ceramic vase incised with the earliest known image of what may be a wheeled vehicle. It was dated by the radiocarbon method to 3635-3370 BC and is attributed to the Funnelbeaker archaeological culture. Today it is housed in the Archaeological Museum in Kraków, Poland.

Discovery

The pot was discovered in 1976 during the archaeological excavation of a large Neolithic settlement in Bronocice by the Nidzica River, ca. 50 km to north east of Kraków. The excavations were carried out between 1974 and 1980 by the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences and the State University of New York at Buffalo (USA).

Inscription

The ornament on the pot symbolically depicts key elements of the prehistoric human environment. The most important component of the decoration are five rudimentary representations of what seems to be a wagon. They represent a vehicle with a shaft for a draught animal, and four wheels. The lines connecting them probably represent axles. The circle in the middle possibly symbolizes a container for harvest. Other images on the pot include a tree, a river and what may be fields intersected by roads/ditches or the layout of a village.

Historical implications

The image on the pot is the oldest known representation of a wheeled vehicle in the world. It implies the existence of wagons in Central Europe as early as in the 4th millennium BC. They were presumably drawn by aurochs whose remains were found with the pot. Their horns were worn out as if tied with a rope, possibly a result of using a kind of yoke.

ee also

History of the wheel

External links

* [http://www.ma.krakow.pl/wystawy/wozy_z_bronocic Exhibition at the Archaeological Museum in Kraków. Photos and reconstruction (in Polish)]
* [http://www.archeo.pan.krakow.pl/engIAE.htm Details of research carried out by the Polish Academy of Sciences (in English)]
* [http://www.bronocice.dzialoszyce.info/waza.htm Local website with photos (in Polish)]
* [http://piccolo.pizza.webpark.pl/wzbron.html Original inscription (in Polish)]
* [http://archiwum.wiz.pl/1996/96083600.asp Popular science magazine article (in Polish)]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pot de Bronocice — Véhicule pot de Bronocice Pot de Bronocice – pot en céramique trouvé à Bronocice en Pologne, daté de 3500 av. J. C. Il est orné de gravures montrant des chariots à 4 roues qui sont probablement les plus vieilles représentations de véhicule au… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Wheel — A wheel is a circular device that is capable of rotating on its axis, facilitating movement or transportation whilst supporting a load (mass), or performing labour in machines. A wheel, together with an axle overcomes friction by facilitating… …   Wikipedia

  • Chariot — For other uses, see Chariot (disambiguation). A fountain in Madrid depicting Cybele in her chariot drawn by lions, in the Plaza de Cibeles …   Wikipedia

  • Funnelbeaker culture — Placement Predecessor and successor cultures The Funnelbeaker culture is preceded by the Ertebølle culture which is named after a Danish village. This predecessor culture was partly neolithic but still primarily hunter gatherer. The successor… …   Wikipedia

  • 35th century BC — The 35th century BC in the Near East sees the gradual transition from the Chalcolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Proto writing enters transitional stage, developing towards writing proper. Wheeled vehicles are now known beyond Mesopotamia, having… …   Wikipedia

  • Stone Age Poland — The Stone Age era on the lands of today s Poland lasted five hundred thousand years and involved three different human species. The Stone Age cultures ranged from early human groups with primitive tools to advanced agricultural societies using… …   Wikipedia

  • Culture des vases à entonnoir — L Europe vers 4200 av.  J. C. La culture des vases à entonnoir ou encore culture des gobelets à entonnoir (de l allemand Trichterbecherkultur, souvent abrégé en TRB) est une culture de l Europe du Néolithique se développant approximativement …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Cultures des vases à entonnoir — Culture des vases à entonnoir L Europe vers 4000 3500 av.  J. C. vers 3500 av.  J. C …   Wikipédia en Français

  • TRB — Culture des vases à entonnoir L Europe vers 4000 3500 av.  J. C. vers 3500 av.  J. C …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Invention de la roue — Roue Pour les articles homonymes, voir Roue (homonymie). Articles connexes : pneu et essieu. Une roue La roue es …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”