Practical and symbolic aspects of the life cycle of arrowheads. Central Europe 2.500 – 1.800 BC.
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| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Despite the descending importance of lithic industry at the end of Eneolithic, highly attractive morphotypes – lithic arrowheads – play an important role in symbolic communication in Central European societies. The crystallizing social class of warriors was not yet defined at vertical social stratification in the sense of warrior/power elites with their characteristic metal militaria – swords, shields, spears or armour parts. Lithic arrowheads are deposited exclusively in male graves, although other warrior equipment, such as wrist guards, copper daggers or battle axes, sometimes appear in wealthy female graves, too. Arrowheads are traditionally interpreted as a typical attribute of warriors because alimentary importance of hunting is minimal in that époque. Nevertheless, their presence in burial grounds and settlements is low. Only a small part of male graves include arrowheads. And only a small part of them include more than a single specimen. Archery sets are not frequent. Together with other indicators – rare proofs of shooting injuries on skeletons, questionable functionality of wrist guards, low percentage of diagnostic impact fracture of arrowhead tip – it makes us to interpret arrowheads as only a symbolic attribute of male warrior troops crystallizing in that turbulent times. Nevertheless, our results testify to a long practical life of the majority of analysed arrowheads from different contemporary cultures; despite the fact that the deposition of arrowheads in graves is undoubtedly symbolic. We see a cyclic operational sequence with several reparations of tip fracture, practical ergonomic-ballistic features, hafting and transport use-wear and systematic care for functional condition of projectiles. This kind of manipulation is not only practical or useful. Weapons reparation, sharpening, inspecting etc. plays an important role in warriors’ ritualised inter-community behaviour. |
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