a horse-drawn vehicle on spoked wheels in Northern Europe at such an early time is surprising; they would not be expected to appear until the end of the Late Bronze Age, which ranges from 1100 BC to 550 BC. This and aspects of the decoration may suggest a Danubian origin or influence in the object, although the National Museum of Denmark is confident it is of Nordic origin. Sun chariot in Indo-European mythology Norse mythology The chariot has been interpreted as a possible Bronze Age predecessor to Skinfaxi, the horse that pulled Dagr, the personification of day, across the sky. Celtic Pantheon The sky god Taranis is typically depicted with the attribute of a spoked wheel. Hindu scriptures The Rigveda in Hindu scriptures also reflects the mention of the Sun chariot. RV 10.85 mentions the sun god's bride as seated on a chariot pulled by two steeds. The relevant verses are the following (trans. Griffith): 10. Her spirit was the bridal car; the covering thereof was heaven: Bright were both Steeds that drew it when Surya approached her husband's home. 11. Thy Steeds were steady, kept in place by holy verse and Sama-hymn: All car were thy two chariot wheels: thy path was tremulous in the sky, 12. Clean, as thou wentest, were thy wheels, wind was the axle fastened there. Surya, proceeding to her Lord, mounted a spirit-fashioned car. Greek mythology In Greek mythology, the solar deity Helios was said to wear a radiant crown as his horse-drawn chariot raced across the sky, bringing daylight. See also Egtved Girl Golden hat Håga Kurgan Nebra skydisk Phaëton Sól (sun) Sun worship The King's Grave Urnfield culture Cult Wagon of Strettweg References Sources Sandars, Nancy K., Prehistoric Art in Europe, Penguin (Pelican, now Yale, History of Art), 1968 (nb 1st edn.) External links Reconstructing the Trundholm Sun Chariot, Anders Söderberg, Sweden, 2002. Söderberg demonstrates how part of the chariot might have been made using the lost-wax method. Götter und Helden in der Bronzezeit: Europa im Zeitalter des Odysseus, exhibition, Bonn. 1999. Catalogue introduction, wall panel information: (.doc format) Prehistoric objects in the National Museum of Denmark Archaeological discoveries in Denmark 2nd-millennium BC works Archaeoastronomy Prehistory of Denmark Nordic Bronze Age Germanic archaeological artifacts Bronzeware Bronze Age art Horses in art Sun in art Danish Culture Canon Solar chariot Ancient art in metal