Élément de char

The Art of War

Dduring the third century BC. J.-In the early 20th century, the Celts developed an artistic style known as plastic, using the lost-wax technique. Characterized by motifs in relief and geometric volumes evoking nature, this art is transmitted to us through funerary contexts that are sometimes prestigious. In Orval, in the Manche, was discovered one of the most western chariot tombs in Europe. Of the deceased, a warrior buried on his chariot with his two horses, only the weaponry and some personal effects remain. Here, this bronze key head (a piece joining two rotating elements) shows a frontal face framed by two profiles linked by their hair treated in arabesques. This type of military accessory shows the technological mastery and artistic inspiration of the craftsmen, but also the importance of war among the Celtic elites. From a context of violence arises a world of refinement.

Discovered in the summer of 2006, the tomb at Orval (Manche) is today a unique case: the westernmost of the late Early La Tène "chariot tombs" ever found in Europe.