SoA Forum

History => Ancient and Medieval History => Weapons and Tactics => Topic started by: Dangun on Jul 24, 2016, 03:11 PM

Title: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Dangun on Jul 24, 2016, 03:11 PM
I don't think that the DBX family of wargames includes any chariots in either the Khmer or Cham army lists.

I am trying to understand the argument/evidence for why the Khmer and Cham armies did not contain any chariots.

Jacq-Hergoualch's The Armies of Angkor (1979) agrees with and ascribes the argument to Quaritch Wales' Ancient South-East Asian Warfare (1952).

Wales argued that because:
1) there were no Khmer inscriptions referring to chariots; and
2) all of the bas-reliefs that included chariots were religious in nature and not historical
there is no evidence for the Khmer using chariots.

Am I missing anything? Are there any other components to the argument?
Title: Re: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Duncan Head on Jul 24, 2016, 07:09 PM
The DBM and DBMM lists do allow a Khmer C-in-c to be regraded as in a chariot.

I think that's broadly the argument, though. I assume you've looked at Mark Fry's piece in Slingshot 300? May be worth going through the Slingshot index as well, I have a vague idea that the subject's been covered in print before. See also https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/DBMMlist/conversations/messages/125134 and the ensuing thread.
Title: Re: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Dangun on Jul 25, 2016, 04:30 AM
Quote from: Duncan Head on Jul 24, 2016, 07:09 PM
I have a vague idea that the subject's been covered in print before.

You spotted my next question. There is an article in Slingshot 203 called "Notes on Srivajaya and Khmer Chariots (203/60, Andrew Bird)" by Andrew Bird.
And I was going to ask whether there was any way of finding it?

Title: Re: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Andreas Johansson on Aug 15, 2016, 06:58 AM
Quote from: Dangun on Jul 25, 2016, 04:30 AM
You spotted my next question. There is an article in Slingshot 203 called "Notes on Srivajaya and Khmer Chariots (203/60, Andrew Bird)" by Andrew Bird.
And I was going to ask whether there was any way of finding it?
You can always buy the CD with back issues of Slingshot. It's excellent value even if you only ever look at a fraction of the stuff.
Title: Re: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Nick Harbud on Oct 07, 2016, 08:37 AM
Quote from: Dangun on Jul 25, 2016, 04:30 AM
You spotted my next question. There is an article in Slingshot 203 called "Notes on Srivajaya and Khmer Chariots (203/60, Andrew Bird)" by Andrew Bird.
And I was going to ask whether there was any way of finding it?

This one?
Title: Re: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Dangun on Oct 07, 2016, 01:24 PM
Quote from: NickHarbud on Oct 07, 2016, 08:37 AM
This one?

Very much appreciated.

But sadly, the article is long since sent to the editor.
So I hesitate to open the file, because it might induce the feeling of having overlooked critical material.
Title: Re: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Mark G on Oct 07, 2016, 04:55 PM
Where would amateur history he without a feeling of having overlooked critical material?

Go on, read it.
Title: Re: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Tim on Oct 07, 2016, 09:26 PM
You can always then write a critical revision of your original article thus getting published twice for one story, so to speak...
Title: Re: Cham and Khmer Chariots
Post by: Dangun on Oct 08, 2016, 05:09 AM
Quote from: Mark G on Oct 07, 2016, 04:55 PM
Where would amateur history he without a feeling of having overlooked critical material?

Exactly!  :) I normally try to avoid that feeling by looking at something comfortably narrow and obscure.

Quote from: Mark G on Oct 07, 2016, 04:55 PM
Go on, read it.

You were right though, and I read it.
Fortunately, there is nothing new and we've actually discussed this in another thread.
It picks up on a sentence in an older translation of "The Customs of Cambodia" that described concubines in chariots. But a more recent translation uses the word cart.