Iron arrowheads from the outskirts of Issyk-Kul and Batken in Kyrgyzstan

The article analyzes flat iron tanged arrowheads discovered in various regions of Kyrgyzstan. Some of these archaeological finds are presently kept in the “Raritet”private museum, organized by a Kyrgyz businessman, philanthropist, and owner of museum collection, and located in the Kyrgyz capital city of Bishkek. The greatest part of these finds originated from the vicinity of Lake Issyk-Kul in northeastern part of Kyrgyzstan. One more iron arrowhead of elongated-rhombic shape and flat blade in cross-section was discovered near Batken in southern Kyrgyzstan. Two more flat iron tanged arrowheads of elongated-rhombic shape from the museum collection were found in the previous years in the vicinity of the village of Dzharkumbaevo in the eastern part of Lake Issyk-Kul basin. This article describes the main stages of research into various types of Kyrgyz ranged weaponry, including iron tanged arrowheads with flat blades in cross-section, which were used by the Kyrgyz warriors in the Tian Shan and Semirechie in the borders of the present-day Kyrgyzstan. According to the earlier suggestions, iron flat arrowheads of similar forms were used by the Kyrgyz warriors for several centuries from the Late Middle Ages to the Initial Modern period.