Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 34-35. (2014-2015)
Articles
124 Z. Győrfi 15. Arrowhead with a drawn conical shape. Total length: 4.5 cm, sockets length: 2.7 cm, sockets diameter: 1.2 cm (Fig. 4/15) 16. Arrowhead with a protuberant conical shape blade. Total length: 4.7 cm, sockets length: 3.2 cm, sockets diameter: 1.3 cm (Fig. 4/16) 17. Arrowhead with a protuberant conical shape blade and a blunt, knob-like tip. Total length: 4.2 cm, socket’s length: 2.6 cm, socket’s diameter: 0.9 cm (Fig. 4/17) 18. Slim arrowhead with a drawn conical shape blade and a spheroid broadening on the tang’s end closest to the blade. Total length: 5.2 cm, tang’s length: 2 cm, largest width: 1.1 cm, weight: 2g (Fig. 4/18) 19. Arrowhead with an angular cross section and pyramid shaped head. Total length: 5.9 cm, tang’s length: 2.4 cm, largest width: 1 cm, weight: 6g (Fig. 4/19) 2.2. Boltheads Although they are frequently mentioned among finds in fortresses, nobody has so far undertaken a more serious research of our boltheads. It would be useful to determine their date from well interpretable finds and set up their typology in order to tone the fairly vague image we have from written sources on the use of crossbows in Transylvania. The few pieces from the Bistra fortress are unfit for a more thorough examination, the objects’ sketchy assessment is only possible through the detailed and frequently discussed Central- European parallels. Accordingly, our classification can only be based on formal characteristics and not on functional ones, the criteria being the objects’ weight and the method of fastening. The first group (cat. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) consists of the lighter boltheads, weighing 35-36g. These are the most numerous in our find (5). Their formal design is quite uniform: the tubular socket is followed by the blade that reaches its maximal width in the last third of the boltheads length, its pyramidal point generally terminates in a blunt tip. In one case the blade is more distinctly separated from the socket. We would especially like to bring to the limelight a 9 cm long thin, slimmer bolthead that is well distinguished within the group (cat. 5). The projecting speed of lighter boltheads was greater, therefore they were useful for firing at farther targets. The thinner, long boltheads were probably used for piercing the mail shirt. The tanged item with the lozenge cross section broadening at the base of its tip into a cylinder may be part of the same group. Another piece weighing over 18 g and having an irregular square cross section may have served the same purpose. Boltheads of ‘medium’ weight (37-50g) include two massive pieces (cat. 6, 7). Their weight exceeds 43 g, their length 7 cm. They are formally similar to the previous group’s items, although in the case of the second bolthead the largest diameter of its pyramid-like blade is the same as the cylindrical socket’s and the blade ends in a blunt and roundish edge. There are two pieces included in the category of heavy boltheads, exceeding 50 g (cat. 8,9). One represents the group of stockier heads with a lozenge cross section blade, the other the group of slimmer, longer types that have a pyramidal blade. The medium and heavy weight boltheads were probably used for piercing plate armour. Although their range was smaller than that of light boltheads, their efficiency was much higher. Some of the boltheads found in Transylvania are fairly easy to date due to the circumstances of their finding. One piece similar to the slimmer (tanged) one from Bistra turned up from a 14th century layer in Däbäca (Doboka).83 In Hungary several series of finds from fortresses and settlements have been published. One of the rare, well-datable collections in the Carpathian Basin comes from the Kőszeg fortress’s excavation where 13-14th and 15th century layers contained analogies for both types we analyzed.84 The carved Hungarian analogies of pyramid bladed boltheads come from the 15th century.85 With respect to the dating, it is important to highlight that boltheads from Ozora group 2, similar to the most frequent medium boltheads, were used until the second half of the 16th century,86 and there are 16-17* century pieces from Füzér fortress.87 The 15th century parallels of the pyramid tipped heads are known from Csorbakő fortress,88 but they turned up in large numbers from Nevicke fortress as well.89 The Medvedev type 3,90 found on the Kievan Russ territory is dated to the 13-15* century, just like its Polish analogies.91 This is the most frequently found type in Central-European archaeological material, especially in fortresses. It was used from the second half of the 13th century until the end 83 lambor 1984, 199, 208, Pl. IV/8. 84 Holl 1992, 67-69. 85 Kalmár 1971, 149-150. 86 Gere 2003, 15-16. 87 Simon 2000, 114-115, 199. 56. ábra. 1, 3-4. 88 Szörényi 2004, 247-249, 294. 2. t. 2-3, 8-9, 11. 89 Dzembasz 1999, 274, 285-286, 299. Taf. XIII/1, 5, 300. Taf. XIV/8, 11-13, 301. Taf. XV/3-5. 90 Medvedev 1966, 68, 114. Tabl. 31/14. 91 Bron 1978, 85, PL 30; Glinianowicz 2005, 161-162, Tabl. XV, 5-6.
