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Hello,
Is there any evidence for the existence of trilobate Scythian spearheads?
I know they made arrowheads this way (I attached a pic), but I don't know about spearheads..
I found plenty of examples of the "ordinary" shape, but can't seem to find anything about trilobate ones..
Thanks!
Manuel Peters
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Hey,
Sorry for the bump on both topics, but the deadline for the essay is next week!  hock: 
Greetz,
Manuel
Manuel Peters
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It appears that Scythian spearheads were a lot like standard European ones. See The Golden Deer of Eurasia.
And it also appears that trilobate "Roman" arrowheads were a lot like Scythian ones. 
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I'm afraid I've never come across examples of 'trilobate' spear or javelin heads either.
All the Scythian spear and javelin heads I have come across were the standard socketed 'leaf' shape with medial rib in most cases, though some are 'flat' with no rib.
One exception ( 4 C BC) found in Scyto-Sarmatian graves NW of the Caucasus is a long socketed ( 50 cm) javelin head with a barbed point, rather akin to a Roman 'light' pilum.....
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At Persepolis Erich Schmidt's team found 4 three-bladed bronze points varying from 10-13 cm long with sockets 16-20 mm in diameter. He suggests they were javelin heads. So they date before 330 BCE and come from Persia. See Erik Schmidt, Persepolis, Vol. II (University of Chicago Press, 1957) fig 76 (this is now free online from the Oriental Institute website)
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I very much doubt that the Persepolis finds are "javelin heads". They are far more likely to be catapult bolts, being in size and form very similar to the tri-lobate catapult bolt-heads found at Olynthus dating from the siege of 348 BC, and inscribed "Philipou" ( Philip of Macedon)......
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
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I think that's why archaeologists these days tend to call things "points" rather than loaded terms like arrowheads, javelin heads, bolt heads, spearheads, ... But thanks for the suggestion: calling them the heads of catapult darts seems more plausible than javelins.
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Quote:At Persepolis Erich Schmidt's team found 4 three-bladed bronze points varying from 10-13 cm long with sockets 16-20 mm in diameter. He suggests they were javelin heads. So they date before 330 BCE and come from Persia. See Erik Schmidt, Persepolis, Vol. II (University of Chicago Press, 1957) fig 76 (this is now free online from the Oriental Institute website)
Quote:I very much doubt that the Persepolis finds are "javelin heads". They are far more likely to be catapult bolts, being in size and form very similar to the tri-lobate catapult bolt-heads found at Olynthus dating from the siege of 348 BC, and inscribed "Philipou" ( Philip of Macedon)......
Thanks! mrgreen:
Do you have sources/links/pictures? I can't seem to find anything online myself.. 
Greetz,
Manuel Peters
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When I was looking it up myself to compare with the head from Persepolis, I used this photo in an Osprey by Waldemar Heckel: http://books.google.ca/books?id=YPqzDoI ... ad&f=false (or just google "Olynthus catapult dart head")
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Thank you so much for all the information!
Btw this is the pointy thingy I made 
Manuel Peters
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Very pretty and shiny! Is that cast bronze?
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Thanks!
Yes, it's cast bronze (afterwards sanded and polished).
It was cast using lost wax casting, and was part of a school assignment for first bachelor conservation/restoration. (afterwards my teacher told me I wasn't supposed to sand and polish it, he even called me ambitious :evil: I hope he meant it in a good way.. :mrgreen: :lol: )
I'm going to hand over my essay this afternoon.. :roll: That's why I had to have information about trilobate points..
Greetz, and thanks!
Manuel Peters
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Good luck !....let's hope for a good mark for you !  D
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
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Strange question that, as I had never heard any mention of tri-lobate spear heads before, but was totally amazed when I saw some
amazingly preserved examples in Scotland. What was the requirement of your essay for a Scythian context?
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