Daimabad and the bronze animal chariot interpretation

Record summary

The Daimabad bronze hoard, found in the late 1950s and associated with Chalcolithic occupation, includes large cast figures commonly described as an elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo and a human or animal-drawn vehicle. Its style, date and cultural affiliation have been debated because the objects are unusual and their find circumstances are not equivalent to a controlled excavation context. The hoard matters for comparing technology, iconography and long-distance interaction between the Deccan and northwestern traditions. The vehicle's interpretation and the exact chronology of the bronzes remain especially uncertain.