Adriana Emiliozzior four cross-bar wheels of Greek type, as has been suggested in various attempts at
reconstruction, both graphic and three-dimensional.18 Because of the dispersal noted for
the excavated material and the loss of any elements in iron — which did not excite the
interest of the excavators nor of the antiquarians of the era - we do not know whether
such wheels were made with a revolving axle and fixed hubs or with hubs revolving
in a fixed axle. In the first case the cart was intended for a slow pace in its design, and
among the lost materials in iron we might be able to find the two brackets intended
to hold the axle while it revolved beneath the beam crossing beneath the chassis. This
consisted of broad bands in the form of a more or less open U, provided with slots to
pass the rawhide thongs that bound it to the beam beneath the chassis; between these
and the axle was placed the fat rind of a pig with the function of lubricating (Fig. 4 1.21,
see also Fig. 41.17).
As can be understood from these observations, the recovery of all the metal
fragments during the excavation of a vehicle - even those that seem insignificant - is
essential if we are to know whether the disintegrated structure made only of wood,
leather and rawhide belonged to a cart or to a chariot. To the present day we have
distinguished seven metal elements that securely identify the deposition of a cart in a
tomb: 1) bushings for the hubs provided with a quadrangular opening;19 2) axle caps
in the form of a parallelepiped;20 3) U-shaped brackets;21 4) trident-shaped finial of the
Y-pole;22 5) cylindrical clamps for the Y-pole;23 6) eyelets for the footrest;24 7) two or
more perforated plates for keeping the seat in place.25 Obviously it is not necessary to
find all these elements associated with each other, but a single one of them is sufficient
to classify a two-wheeled vehicle as a cart and not a chariot. On the other hand, even if
the entire group of these is found together, but no longer joined, it is not possible to
reconstruct the vehicle in a quite accurate manner, as could be done in the case of the
cart of Sirolo.
Figure 4 1.2 1 Diagram of the function of the iron brackets from Casale Marittimo, Casa Nocera
necropolis, tomb A (project by A. Emiliozzi, drawing by M. Risaliti).metal bracketrind and fataxlebeam beneath
the chassis