One of the former has been figured by Dr. Keller,[1] whose engraving I here reproduce, as Fig. 343, in the full size of the original arrow, instead of on the scale of one-half. It was found, not in any of the Lake habitations, but in the moss of Geissboden.
Fig. 344.—Fünen, Denmark. 11
The arrow-heads found among the ancient Swiss lake-dwellings, often bear on their surface some portion of the bituminous cement which helped to attach them to the shafts. Dr. Clément[2] possessed one, apparently tanged but not barbed, the base of which is completely incrusted with bitumen, with traces of the wood of the shaft upon it, and of the cord by which the whole was bound together. Another, leaf-shaped, similarly incrusted, is in the Museum at Lausanne. The attachment of a conical bone arrow-head to its shaft is of the same character. Some single-barbed[3] arrows were made by tying a bone pin, pointed at each end, diagonally to the extremity of the shaft.
Fig. 345.—Modern Stone Arrow-head.
Another specimen has been engraved by Madsen,[4] who, however, does not appear to have recognised it as an arrow-head. He describes it as "a flint instrument, fastened by means of fine bast-fibre to a wooden shaft, of which only 112 inch remains." I have here reproduced his engraving, as Fig. 344, and there can I think be little doubt that it represents the point of an arrow of the same character as those in use among the ancient Egyptians.[5] It was found in a peat moss in the parish of Vissenberg, Odense, in the Isle of Fünen.
Among modern savages, we find the stone points sometimes attached to the shafts by vegetable fibre, not unfrequently aided by some resinous gum, and also by means of animal sinew. The annexed woodcut, Fig. 345, kindly supplied by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland,[6] shows an arrow-head, stated to be from one of the South Sea Islands, but more probably from California,
- ↑ "Pfahlbauten," 2ter Ber. Taf. i. 5. "Lake-dwellings," pl. xxxix. 15. It is curiously like an arrow of the Zoreisch Indians, figured Mitth. d. Ant. Gesells. in wien, 1893, p. 119.
- ↑ Mortillet, Mat., vol. ii. p. 512. Mackie, "Nat. Hist. Rep.," vol. i. p. 137. "Mus. Préh.," fig. 406.
- ↑ Le Hon, "L'homme foss.," 2nd ed., p. 184.
- ↑ "Afbildninger," pl. xxii. 19.
- ↑ See p. 369.
- ↑ Proc., vol. iv. p. 298.
