Oxus Treasure: chariot
- Gallery: Room 52
- Culture: Achaemenid
- Date: 5thC BC-4thC BC
- Object type: chariot, model
- Materials: gold
- Museum number: 123908
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a tiny yet intricate gold chariot from the Oxus Treasure. Created during the 5th to 4th century BC in the Achaemenid Empire, this miniature masterpiece gives a glimpse of ancient chariot design. The vehicle is pulled by four small horses, likely representing Nisaean ponies, and features detailed bracing and a richly decorated front panel with a central Bes head—an Egyptian protective deity popular across the ancient world.
You’ll notice two figures seated in the chariot: a man in a long robe, identifiable by his gold fillet and torc, and a driver wearing a similar cap and wire-embroidered tunic. Both are attached by gold wires. The chariot’s wheels, with nine spokes each, are stud-decorated to mimic bronze nails from full-scale designs.
Crafted entirely in gold with incised and soldered techniques, this model reflects not only luxury but also a deep understanding of chariot engineering. The piece is a rare artifact of Persian artistry, possibly made for a royal child due to the inclusion of the protective Bes.
See it in person
Oxus Treasure: chariot is on display in Room 52 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
New, in beta. British Museum support has just launched and is still improving: over 1,000 objects so far, with more added all the time.
