Biga di Monteleone di Spoleto

(late 6th century  BC)

Metropolitan Museum, New York
Image courtesy of www.metmuseum.org

Chariot, late 6th century B.C.
Etruscan; From Monteleone, Italy
Bronze; H. 51 1/2 in. (130.8 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1903 (03.23.1)

In 1902, a farmer called Isidoro Vannozzi discovered a grave (6th century BC) with rich grave goods under a field of his farm on Colle del Capitano, outside Monteleone di Spoleto.  The grave goods, which included an amazing ceremonial chariot, found their way into the possession of the American banker, John Pierpont Morgan and appeared in the Metropolitan Museum in 1903.  The murky circumstances have recently been described in  "La Biga Rapita" (The Stolen Chariot) by Mario La Ferla.

The most famous of these grave goods is this bronze chariot, which is decorated with scenes from the life of Achilles.  The chariot is described in more detail on the museum's website (link above).

The remains of similar and broadly contemporary chariots have been found at modern Castel San Mariano di Corciano (near Perugia - see the page on the Museo Archeologico there), Colfiorito, Todi and Gubbio.  The picture that emerges is of an Umbrian warrior élite that imported prestige items from Etruria, and particularly from Volsinii (Orvieto). 

Subsequent finds from this necropolis and other sites nearby are in the Museo Archeologico, Spoleto.