- Adriana Emiliozzi –
also to a third element, which could be a short bar placed between them and useful to affi x
the yoke. To form the end, capsules of rawhide obtained from the deboned limbs of an
animal, preferably swine (boar), were connected by through-pins and/or strips of rawhide.
Between this more economic version and that luxurious one realized completely in metal
- iron, cast bronze and bronze sheet (see Fig. 41.25) – there existed an intermediate
variety of cases in which the presence of metal was always more consistent and not always
made in a single piece (see Figs 41.22, 41.23).^26 There exist cases in which the trident-
shaped metal fi nial is provided with more than three and up to fi ve tines.^27 From these
one must deduce that the shaft was not properly in the shape of a “Y,” but had other
intermediate rods issuing from the frame, for a better strengthening of the drive system.
Probably in these cases a more fl exible type of woodwork was used, such as wicker.
In the scope of the fi nds of metal elements belonging to carts, it would seem that on
the trident-shaped fi nial for the Y-pole there are not associated the metal accessories used
for a revolving axle. If this circumstance does not depend on chance (or on the sparse
documentation of old excavations), we must conclude that this type of cart was relatively
fast. It could thus serve the lord to travel across his vast land holdings and possibly to
carry a cargo or luggage on the fl oor. Furthermore, with this type there has not yet been
found a valuable decoration, which would have made the structure too fragile. It would
Figure 41.24 The tomb of the Picene Princess of Sirolo (near Ancona) during the excavation: the
cart was dismantled and stacked. From Emiliozzi 1997, pl. XXV, 1 (photograph courtesy of the
Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici delle Marche, Ancona).Figure 41.25 The cart of Sirolo reconstructed as a model 1:4, now preserved in Antiquarium of Sirolo.
From Emiliozzi 1997, pl. XXV, 2.