Chariots in Ancient Egypt: The Tano Chariot، A Case Study
Chariots، the racing cars of the ancient world، first appeared in Egypt about 1600 BC، and quickly became not only the preferred mode of transport for royalty and the elite، but also revolutionised military tactics and warfare. Remains of chariots have been found in Egyptian tombs –Tutankhamun’s tomb contained six chariots، which tripled the number of ancient Egyptian chariots known before the discovery of his tomb. However، none of the chariots was complete، as all lacked their leather casings، which were only known from images on tomb and temple walls. In 2008، the Ancient Egyptian Leatherwork Project (AEFP) working in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo، found a cache of several trays of red and green leather containing some 60 large leather fragments. Some of these had been noted before، but the find had been largely ignored and buried in the depths of the museum. This remarkable object entered the museum in 1932، a purchase from the Tano family، reputable dealers at that time، hence the nick-name ‘Tano Chariot’. The Tano leather all came from a single chariot، including portions of the bow-case، the body’s casing and the horse housing. The leather is elaborately decorated in appliquéd green and red or beige leather. Parallels for some of these fragments are found in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo، the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York، and the Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung in Berlin، many of which، until their appearance in this volume، are unpublished.
Publication date: 20-12-2017 Imprint: Sidestone Press Format: 210x280mm Size: 550 pp. Language: English Category: archaeology chariots، leather، weaponry، Tutankhamun، Tano، Egyptian Museum Cairo، Ancient Egypt، Egyptology
About the Authors
Dr. André J. Veldmeijer
André J. Veldmeijer (Visiting Research Scholar American University in Cairo) studied archaeology at Leiden University and received his PhD in Vertebrate Palaeontology from Utrecht University in 2006. He has worked in Egypt since 1995 as a leather، footwear and cordage specialist in various research projects. His second PhD، on the archaeology of footwear، is planned for the next four years.
Prof dr. Salima Ikram
Salima Ikram is an Egyptologist and bioarchaeologist who has worked in Egypt، Turkey and the Sudan. She has directed the Animal Mummy Project at the Egyptian Museum، directs the North Kharga Oasis Darb Ain Amur Survey، and has worked as a funerary archaeologist and archaeozoologist at sites throughout Egypt from Alexandria to Aswan. She has published extensively. Lucy Skinner MSc
Lucy Skinner has an MSc in Conservation for Museums and Archaeology from University College London. She has worked as a museum conservator in the UK and as an independent archaeological conservator and organic materials specialist on various sites all over the world as well as for numerous projects in Egypt.
Prof. dr. Lisa Sabbahy
Lisa Sabbahy studied at Bryn Mawr College، University of California at Berkeley، and the University of Toronto. She is Assistant Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo، and Program Director of the MA in Egyptology and Coptology.
Dr. Ole Herslund
Ole Herslund is a doctor of Egyptology and Egyptian Archaeology trained at University of Copenhagen and University College London. He has worked as research fellow and external lecturer at the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Studies، Institute of Regional and Cross-Cultural Studies، University of Copenhagen، and works on a number of projects throughout Egypt.