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Arts & Communication

ARTICLE
Restoration, preservation, and interpretation of

the royal chariot from the Sinauli excavation in
India: Safeguarding a remarkable discovery

1
2
Manoj Kumar Bhatnagar , Sanjay Kumar Manjul , Rina Parmar , and
1
1
Dharmendra Kumar *
1 Science Branch Unit, Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of
India, Ministry of Culture, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
2 Archaelogical Unit, Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of
India, Ministry of Culture, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract
The novel discovery of the royal chariot from the Sinauli excavation in India has
sparked a global debate among archaeologists and historians regarding India’s
ancient history and the Aryan invasion theory. The chariot is a remarkable piece
of engineering, showcasing advanced metalworking techniques that challenge
previous assumptions about the technological capabilities of ancient India. Its design
closely resembles chariots depicted in ancient Indian texts and art, underscoring
its cultural significance. The royal chariot is a fascinating combination of materials
*Correspondence author: and craftsmanship. Its construction features a wooden frame adorned with intricate
Dharmendra Kumar
(paldkasi@gmail.com) copper-inlay decorative work. After millennia underground, the wooden structure
had transformed into mud, leaving behind only the fragile, corroded copper
Citation: Bhatnagar MK,
Manjul SK, Parmar R, Kumar D. elements. This necessitated the restoration and preservation of the royal chariot
Restoration, preservation, and for future research, with the aim of arresting or slowing down the rate of further
interpretation of the royal chariot deterioration, using the appropriate methodology as required. This article describes
from the Sinauli excavation in
India: Safeguarding a remarkable the restoration and preservation of the royal chariot.
discovery. Arts & Communication.
2024;2(4):2437.
doi: 10.36922/ac.2437 Keywords: Royal chariot; Inlay copper work; Corrosion; Restoration; Preservation
Received: December 14, 2023
Accepted: March 20, 2024
Published Online: August 29, 2024 1. Introduction
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). In the heart of India, at the historic site of Sinauli, an extraordinary and unprecedented
This is an Open-Access article discovery has sparked a global debate among archaeologists and historians. The find
distributed under the terms – a royal chariot unlike any other – has the potential to rewrite India’s ancient history
of the Creative Commons
1,2
AttributionNoncommercial License, and reignite discussions surrounding the Aryan invasion theory. This chariot is a
permitting all non-commercial use, remarkable piece of engineering, showcasing advanced metalworking techniques that
distribution, and reproduction in any challenge previously held beliefs about the technological capabilities of ancient India.
medium, provided the original work
is properly cited. Its design closely resembles chariots depicted in ancient Indian texts and art, providing
further evidence of their cultural significance in India. 3
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Beyond its craftsmanship, the discovery of the royal chariot has sparked heated
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional discussions among scholars regarding the Aryan invasion theory. This theory, proposed
th
th
affiliations. in the 19 and early 20 centuries, suggested that the migration of Indo-European

Volume 2 Issue 4 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/ac.2437