The Hun bronze and bimetalic arrowheads from Xinjiang (in view of research subjects found by the Von Le Coq German archaeological expedition)

The article analyzes different forms of bronze and bimetal arrowheads found by archaeologists in the previous decades in the territory of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. Among these items gathered by the German archaeological expedition under the supervision of Albert von Le Coq in Kucha oasis is a small collection of arrowheads, made of bronze or copper, with triangular cross-section of the tip, which date back to the rise of the military power of Xiongnu. Such bronze and bimetallic arrowheads are also exhibited in museums of Dunhuang, Hami and Urumqi in Xinjiang. Similar in shape, arrow points were widely used in the Han China and by nomadic warriors of Central Asia during the period of the Hun military power. Judging by some archaeological materials, the bronze arrowheads with triangular cross-section warheads were used by Chinese soldiers since the unification of China by the Qin Dynasty. During the period of rise of the Xiongnu military power in the steppes of Central Asia, bronze was gradually supplanted by weapons made of iron, which is clearly seen in the metal-tipped arrows. Based on the available material from an early stage of development of the Hun culture, it is possible to say that some arrows were made entirely of bronze with casting technology. With the introduction of iron, only triangular arrow points were made of bronze, while tangs were made of iron. However, most of the Xiongnu metal arrowheads were made entirely of iron. All the analyzed bronze and bimetallic arrowheads from the collection have a sharp-cornered tip, trihedral in section, oblong-triangular pen, straight, sloping, or concave shoulders and rounded hex or short sleeve. Probably, this form of arrowhead was the most effective for shooting various targets. Some bronze arrow points from the studied collection have blunt tips, which may indicate their use for shooting on goal with a metallic protective coating. Xianbi bronze arrowheads are very rare and they are significantly different in shape from arrows analyzed in the article. In the Hun-Xianbi period, Tocharian, Usun and Saka tribes lived in the territory of East Turkestan. They could be armed with bronze and bimetallic arrowheads.