Ill] AND HISTORIC TIMES 99 



epoch. The bronze bits here shown (Fig. 45), each being one 

 of pairs in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, belong 

 beyond doubt to the late Celtic period, as is demonstrated 

 by the beautiful ornament on one of the bits and its fellow, 

 as well as on the pair of mysterious pieces of trapping, found 

 at the same time, one of which is figured on a later page. 



It has been urged that ot was easier to learn to drive than 

 to ride. But is this true ? Under modern conditions it may 

 be so, when a person's first essay in driving is made on some 

 old and steady animal tightly embraced in harness and shafts. 

 But when primitive man first subdued the little wild horse, 

 was it easier for him to learn to drive two of these animals, 

 when simply attached by means of a yoke and pole, with free 

 play for their heels, their first instinct being to kick to pieces 

 the rattling, creaking wheels and axle, which formed the primi- 

 tive car, or to learn to sit firmly on his back l ? The South 

 American Indians found no difficulty in acquiring the latter 

 art when they obtained the horse from the Spaniards. 



As the Britons were famous for their intrepidity in running 

 out and standing on the chariot pole, and as we shall presently 

 see, Odysseus and Diomedes had no hesitation in getting on 

 the backs of Thracian steeds, it is clear that it was not from 

 fear that either Achean or Briton drove habitually in a chariot 

 instead of riding on horseback. 



But though mounted men formed the chief weapon of the 

 Gauls in their death-struggle against the Romans, it is clear 

 from both literary and monumental evidence that at no long 

 time previously had the chariot been in universal use among all 

 the Celts of Gaul and north Italy. Thus Diodorus 2 makes it 

 plain that down to a late date they, like the Homeric Acheans, 

 had regularly gone to war in two-horse chariots, containing 

 each a warrior and a charioteer: the former first hurled spears 

 called saunia at the foe, and then dismounted to finish the 

 combat at close quarters with the sword, the latter being 

 doubtless of that type known as La Tene (Fig. 111). The 

 opening of many tumuli in Champagne has brought to light 



1 W. Eidgeway, Academy, 1890, p. 91. 2 v. 29. 



72 



