Lot Essay
Bows and arrows have been used in Japan since ancient times. Well formed stone arrowheads have been recovered from tombs of the Jomon period, some 7,000 to 10,000 years BC, and arrowheads of bone predate them. Later on, bronze was used and eventually, by the 1st century AD, iron was used.
The bow was considered a noble weapon and was much respected. It was used for hunting as well as war, but the most common arrowhead is that of the war arrow. Usually of trefoil or quatrefoil section, it was short and sturdy and ideal for punching its way through armour, but many other shapes and sizes were made. Elegant like a willow leaf, broad and flat and often pierced with a simple cherry blossom and two-pronged sharpened on their inner edges which were often said, with little reason, to be used against ship's rigging. However, they were used with arrows which had a pierced bulb behind the head which whistled in flight and was used for signaling.
Other arrowheads, much too large for use, were made to be presented to shrines or temples as votive offerings. These were often pierced with intricate designs of flowers or poems.
Most war arrows were simply made after being left rough from the file, but many others were finely forged and signed by the maker.
The bow was considered a noble weapon and was much respected. It was used for hunting as well as war, but the most common arrowhead is that of the war arrow. Usually of trefoil or quatrefoil section, it was short and sturdy and ideal for punching its way through armour, but many other shapes and sizes were made. Elegant like a willow leaf, broad and flat and often pierced with a simple cherry blossom and two-pronged sharpened on their inner edges which were often said, with little reason, to be used against ship's rigging. However, they were used with arrows which had a pierced bulb behind the head which whistled in flight and was used for signaling.
Other arrowheads, much too large for use, were made to be presented to shrines or temples as votive offerings. These were often pierced with intricate designs of flowers or poems.
Most war arrows were simply made after being left rough from the file, but many others were finely forged and signed by the maker.