Trundholm Sun Chariot, Bronze Age archaeological find in Copenhagen Municipality, Denmark
The Trundholm Sun Chariot is a Bronze Age find from Copenhagen Municipality that consists of a bronze horse pulling a disk mounted on six wheels. The disk measures about 50 centimeters (20 inches) from end to end and is covered with thin gold on one side while the other side remains plain.
A farmer uncovered the object in 1902 while working in a bog near Trundholm. It was made around 1400 before the common era when people in the Nordic region started using bronze for art and ritual objects.
The name Trundholm comes from the bog where the chariot was found, referring to a round hill in that area. The shape of the horse shows how Bronze Age people made their gods visible through animal figures and how important sunlight was in their daily lives.
The National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen shows the chariot in its Bronze Age collections where visitors can view it up close. The gold layer is still easy to see although the bronze figure shows marks from the long time underground.
The two sides of the disk show different patterns and decorations with one side meant to represent day and the other night. The wheels still turn today even though they are over 3000 years old.
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