Discovery Of Pre-Iron Age Chariot In UP Points To A Warrior Class In The ‘Peaceful Harappans’

It is important to note here that the discovered 'chariot' has 'a solid wheel with no spokes.' Because the Anatolian chariots which initially were considered (and still being considered by an influential section of archeologists) to have carried horses and IE languages into Indian land mass, had wheels with spokes. However, archaeologist Jonathan Mark Kenoyer has pointed out that between 2600 and 1900 BCE, in the terracotta depictions of carts and wheels, there may be 'depictions of what may be spoked wheels, during this period of urban expansion and trade may reflect different functional needs, as well as stylistic and cultural preferences.' To him Dr B B Lal's identification of wheel with spokes depicted in the terracotta from the site of Rahkigarhi is the 'most convincing'. At the same time late Dr S R Rao too had shown depiction of wheel with spokes from Lothal.

On the whole the discovery has created a real sensation and a collateral controversy. One group of historians, has been quick to point out that the presence of chariots and warrior elite make the Mahabharata plausible in an age earlier than have been usually thought. Another group of historians who always have taken a pleasure in pointing out archaeological implausibility for the ancient time scales of the epics, are found taken by surprise and are struggling to put up explanations.