Ayuntamiento de GuareaArchaeologists date the chariot to approximately the fifth century B.C.E.In a first-of-its-kind discovery, archaeologists found a well-preserved ceremonial chariot dating back to the 5th century B.C.E. at the Casas del Turuuelo ruins in Guarea, Spain.This bronze chariot, which may have been used in ritual feasts, will hopefully reveal new details about the ancient civilization of Tartessos that inhabited the southwestern portion of the Iberian peninsula more than two millennia ago.The Rare Ceremonial Chariot Discovered Among Tartessian Ruins In SpainResearchers from the Institute of Archaeology of Mrida found the chariot during their eighth consecutive excavation of the site, which is centered upon an ancient two-floor building that has provided a wealth of archaeological discoveries. At the end of the fifth century B.C.E., occupants of Casas del Turuuelo likely burned or buried the building, leaving a mound that preserved the buildings contents astonishingly well to this day.While researchers have found many valuable artifacts at this site, Esther Rodrguez, co-director of the project, said that the chariot is one of the most significant finds made to date at this Tartessian site. The researchers added that no comparable discovery has ever been made in Iberia before.Ayuntamiento de GuareaThe chariot features an image of Achelous, a river deity in the Greek and Etruscan traditions.The team carried out excavations in corridor S3 of the building, an area that had already been shown to contain unique ritualistic structures. One of these was an altar in the shape of a bull, an animal with great symbolic significance in ancient Iberia.In this same area, archaeologists discovered the extant half of the ceremonial chariot, with two wheels and much of the main body of the vehicle still intact. Even though the team did not find a complete artifact, they were rewarded with well-preserved decorative and mechanical elements to study and document.The chariot was constructed with both bronze and iron, from which the axle was made. Researchers noted that the craftsmanship was excellent, as was the artifacts state of preservation.The chariot, which the team believes was created in honor of a deity, featured several religious and cultural motifs. Experts identified the central figure as Achelous, a river deity that was popular in Greek and Etruscan cultures and often portrayed with bull-like horns.Two griffins, mythological creatures with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion, are positioned at opposite ends of the vehicle. The chariot is also supported by two Atlas-like male figures, adding another layer of either Greek or Etruscan ceremonial influence.Because the chariot was found near the previously-uncovered altar and in a room that had been identified as a possible banquet hall, the team believes that the chariot may have been used during ritual feasts. In fact, it may have been used during the final ceremony before the burial of the building at the end of the 5th century B.C.E.How This Discovery Sheds Light On Tartessos Relationship To The Wider Mediterranean WorldThis discovery deepens experts knowledge of Tartessos and where it stood in the world of commerce and cultural exchange in the ancient Mediterranean.Ayuntamiento de GuareaArchaeologists say the chariot sheds light on the trade connections between Tartessos and other ancient Mediterranean societies.Over the course of the first millennium B.C.E., the civilization of Tartessos developed in Iberia. It was shaped as a culture by both local communities and Phoenician colonists, who came to southern Iberia in the 9th century B.C.E. while on the hunt for precious metals.Although the Tartessian civilization largely inhabited an inland area in the modern-day Spanish region of Extremadura, bordering Portugal, the new chariot discovery suggests that Tartessos remained connected with other ancient civilizations in the region.In addition to the chariot, the most recent excavation at Casas del Turuuelo has also uncovered a collection of imported luxury goods, including Greek pottery, Egyptian vessels, and decorative ivory artifacts.According to Rodrguez, these artifacts, as well as the chariot, show how the Iberian Peninsula was connected to other ancient societies through trade.These materials are providing extraordinary information for understanding trade relations between the East and the Iberian Peninsula. We are documenting imports and unique objects that help reconstruct these exchange networks, Rodrguez said.In particular, depictions of griffins and Atlas-like men similar to the ones on the chariot were common across the Mediterranean and Near East, which shows how Tartessos was influenced by these other cultures.The only similar pieces currently known come from the Etruscan world, said Sebastin Celestino, another co-director of the project. This reinforces the existence of trade networks linking Tartessos with different regions across the Mediterranean.Researchers said that the discovery of the chariot has been the strongest evidence of these trade networks thus far, and that more work now needs to be done to completely understand Tartessos place in the ancient Mediterranean world.After reading about this first-of-its-kind discovery of a 2,500-year-old ceremonial chariot, learn about the Roman circus used for chariot racing that was also found in Spain. Then, read about the Reconquista, the battle for control of the Iberian Peninsula that began in 711 C.E.The post Archaeologists Just Unearthed A 2,500-Year-Old Ceremonial Bronze Chariot In Southwestern Spain appeared first on All That's Interesting.