£ 200.00
A rare iron hand-forged ‘forker’ shaped Avar arrowhead with a collar for affixture, narrowing into an elongated tang for insertion into a wooden shaft. A wooden arrow shaft fragment remains inside the collar – a very rare find. This particular arrowhead shape was used for hunting in the medieval period, especially for bird hunting. Its name derives from its barbs, pointed forward in a V-shape, which would have caused extensive blood loss and effectively weakened a pursued animal.
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Avaric arrows could be fired up to 1500 feet. According to some historians, Avars introduced important military technology to Europe – an iron stirrup, which made the soldiers on horseback more secure and steady in the saddle. They also used a composite bow – skilled Avar riders at full gallop could shoot up to twenty arrows a minute.
To discover more about warfare and weapons in the Middle Ages, please visit our relevant blog post: Medieval Weaponry.
| Dimensions | L 8.1 x W 4.2 cm |
|---|---|
| Region | Western Europe |
| Metal | Iron |
