A Collection of Iron Arrowheads from the Museum “Rarity” in Bishkek

Abstract

Purpose. The authors considered and analyzed various types of iron arrowheads that are kept as a part of weapon col-lection in the private museum “Rarity” in Bishkek, in the Kyrgyz Republic. We traced primary events related to the history of studying types of iron arrows that were detected at different times by scientists and modern collectors of antiquities on the territory of Tian Shan and Jetysu. Results. The armament objects of long-range combat are classified according to their formal signs. All iron arrow-heads from the collection studied were divided into particular groups and types by characteristic features of their sec-tion and form of feather. On the basis of our formal and typological analysis, we put forward several suggestions about possible functionality of the types of iron arrowheads that we singled out. Some arrowheads were intended for defeat of lightly-armed hostile warriors, whereas other types were created for archery against heavily-armed adver-saries, who were defended by metal or chain armor. Still other arrowheads were universal and could be applied for shelling both warriors non-protected with metal armor and warriors who had those defensive means. Conclusion. Our analysis of iron arrowheads from this collection can be used further for characterizing long-range combat weapon complexes of ancient and medieval warriors of several ethnic groups which resided on the territory of Tian Shan and Jetysu in the boundaries of the Kyrgyz Republic during the Hunnic times and following historical periods of the Early and High Middle Ages.