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LOT 1033
Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead and Javelin Collection
11TH-10 CENTURY B.C.
5 1/8 - 7 in. (164 grams total, 13.1-17.8 cm).
Comprising four tanged arrowheads, two with elongated triangular blades and raised midrib, sharp central groove, cylindrical stem with handle for the shaft; one with barbed shoulders and convex sides; one with narrow and flattened blade and short tang; the javelin head with slightly rounded shoulders, lanceolate shape and flattened blade. [5]
ProvenanceFrom London art market, acquired in 1990s.
Ex C.J. Martin, London, UK.
Accompanied by a copy of the Spanish export licence.
See Khorasani, M.M., Arms and Armour from Iran. The Bronze Age to the End of the Qajar Period, Tübingen, 2006, figures 463, 468, for some of these types.
FootnotesThese types of arrowheads were commonly used in Anatolia and Mesopotamia from the 2nd millennium B.C., but it appears that their employment began earlier in this area, where types like these occur alongside the non-barbed, predominantly ribbed and tanged types.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1033
Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead and Javelin Collection
Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
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Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Group
10th-9th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Comprising mainly tanged arrowheads, the most of them having large elongated triangular blades and raised midrib, sharp central groove, cylindrical or squared stem for the shaft, barbed shoulders and convex sides; others with lanceolate head and rounded shoulders with long tang and foliate-section. 103 grams total, 29-68 mm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
The most of these arrowheads, having a lozenge-section midrib with thin blades filed sharp at the edges, are typical of the early Iron Age in Luristan. These arrowheads seem to belong to the type V, subcategory types A, C and D according to the classification of Khorasani and Negahban. In the four categories of triangular bronze arrowheads from Luristan, Marlik, and Northern Iran individuated by Negahban, subtypes C and D of type V are larger arrow or javelin heads, C with barbed shoulders and D with round shoulders. Subtype A is substantially similar to C, but smaller. Similar arrowheads are also visible in the Western Iberian and Balkan cultures in the Early Iron Age. -
Greek Iron Arrowhead
4th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Barbed and tanged type with flared shoulder. 15.5 grams, 10.2 cm
UK private collection, 1990s. From the collection of an London antiquarian. -
Roman Iron Military Plumbata Head
4th-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Missile weapon with short iron shaft and square-section barbed head, lead sleeve to the lower end of the shaft. 116 grams, 19 cm
From the collection of B. Posey, UK, 1990s.
The lead-weighted darts known as plumbatae mamillatae, (or breasted javelin) were short darts mounted upon a shaft, of the same shape, and thrown from a short distance. A Roman soldier would typically carry around 5-6 of these darts at any one time, fastened to the back of his shield. They could be thrown overhand or underhand, with an effective throwing range of up to 60 meters by trained soldiers. They could also be fixed upon longer shafts.