ECH 3320 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Chariot Tactics, Horse Breeding, Composite Bow

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Conflict Studies and Human Rights
• Course: ECH 3320
• Professor: Paul Robinson

Document Summary

First war chariots were constructed around 2100 bc: the first sumerian cart was very heavy and could not make tight turns (mostly used for. Lecture 3 : chariots and ancient egypt transporting supplies) Why did it catch on: once the speed increased, they turned into a military advantage, social differentiation ; status symbol, embedded prestige and privilege for aristocratic warriors. Took quite a long time for it to catch on they needed: horse breeding, technology to control the horse (bit, weapon designed to be used for the chariot (composite bow) The egyptian chariots later developed were lighter and faster (35kg + 30km/h) Inventors were pastoralists (nomads: used chariots for herding animals + fending off predators. Then they conquered and expanded through more settles societies: east into china, west into europe, south into egypt and northern india, turning into a sort of chariot arms race.