[Tidbits] Oxus Chariot

Let’s start at the end and end up at the beginning shall we? So when
I say The Beginning it will really mean The End because the end is
the beginning and the beginning… Well. you get the idea. So…

In the end there was the beginning which begged the question … hey.
yo… Benjamin. is this about jewelry or what? Well. here’s the thing
of it. It is gold. And in that respect it qualifies. It is part of a
massive hoard of gold and silver objects identified as the Oxus
treasure and as every self-respecting pirate–present and past and
very past–knows. treasures of gold and silver invariably always mean
not only jewels. but jewels galore. These two incredibly logical
arguments alone should suffice to acknowledge the world over that
today’s presentation is indeed jewelry. We will not even approach the
fact that simply because today’s chariot is the size of a small toy
might–in the mind of the small minded–preclude the fact that it’s
jewelry.

And now for the beginning. look closely at the chariot. There’s the
driver holding the reins. And to the side–slightly towards the
rear–there’s the passenger. a tad larger in stature and therefore
unquestionably the more important… clearly a dignitary of some
sort given it’s stature of predominance.

Where are they going? A library perhaps? A political meeting? A
brothel? Who knows? They are racing at breakneck speed along the
Imperial Roads to get to where they are going all in the name of the
king of Persia. Which of the above warrant such reckless abandonment
to the winds I wonder? Personally … I opt for the library. And you?
Or you?

This chariot was found in a distant province near the borders of
modern Tajikistan and Afghanistan. It is part of the aforementioned
Oxus treasure that–for over a hundred years–have formed one of the
great collections at the British museum. The size of the chariot fits
comfortably on the palm of the hand. Put a bale and a chain at the
top of the driver’s helmet. and you have a pectoral pendant of no
small importance.

Perhaps a great chief could have worn it as an offering to the gods.
indicating to the currently governing deity that this homage of no
mean mien far and away warranted the reward of a favor which had long
been curried by the wearer. Perhaps a new golden helmet. Or that cute
little wench over there. Or a Mazerati. even though it had not yet
been invented. When dealing with the super and supra-natural one must
accept that even the impossible is possible and even probable.

Regardless. the chariot you are all about to see and marvel over is
representative of an ancient empire north of Shiraz, in Iran.
situated on a featureless plain dominated by a huge stone plinth.
Plinth? Did I say plinth? Whoa Nellie. How many of you know what a
plinth is? I am going to venture to say a scant few. This plinth of
no mean proportion is the tomb of Cyrus. first emperor of Persian
who–a scant 2500 years ago–had built the largest empire the world
had ever seen.

There is of course more. Much more. But in brevity lies prevention of
boredom.

So okay. The end. You know the rest. The visit to the image… also
known as the viewing experience. You know where. Home page.
http://www.tyler-adam.com. Scroll down. Left side. Tidbits. Click.
And there for your sensory optic pleasure you will see an image of
the golden chariot of Oxus.

And there ya have it. That’s it for this week folks. Catch you all
next week.

Benjamin Mark