Hat 8143 Indian Chariot of King Porus

It is assumed that war chariots were used in the Indian subcontinent already in the early Vedic period, i.e. around 1500-1300 BC. It can therefore be assumed that they appeared in the Indian art of war more or less (with an emphasis on "more or less") at the same time as in the Hittite state or in the New State in Egypt. For a very long time, they were seen in ancient India as an elite type of armed force that in the Vedic period often decided the fate of battles. In the early period of their application, they were perceived as indispensable on the battlefield. Over time, the armies of the subcontinent began to divide into four types of "armed forces" ( chaturanga ): infantry, cavalry, fighting elephants and chariots. It can also be assumed that from around the 6th century BC the role of chariots on the battlefield decreased in favor of cavalry and war elephants. However, they were still used, although they were no longer as important element of the Indian army as before. They can be scattered, for example, by Porros during the battles with the troops of Alexander the Great and - most likely - during the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 BC. It is assumed that in the 4th century BC, Indian war chariots were made of wood and leather, had two spoked wheels, and were harnessed by two or four horses.