Practical and symbolic aspects of the life cycle of arrowheads in Central Europe, 2,400–1,800 BC
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| Year of publication | 2020 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
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| Description | Despite the decreasing importance of the lithic industry at the end of Eneolithic and beginning of the Bronze Age, a highly attractive morphotype – lithic arrowheads – played an important role in symbolic communication in Central European societies. The occurrence of lithic arrowheads preceded the full manifestation of a social class of warrior/power elites, defined within vertical social stratification with their characteristic metal militaria – swords, shields, spears, or armour. Lithic arrowheads were deposited exclusively in male graves, although other warrior equipment, such as wrist guards, copper daggers, and battle-axes, sometimes appeared in wealthy female graves as well. Arrowheads have been traditionally interpreted as a typical attribute of warriors because the alimentary importance of hunting was minimal in this époque. Although projectiles of this period have been mostly interpreted from a symbolic perspective, our results testify to a long practical life of the majority of analysed arrowheads, despite the fact that the deposition of arrowheads in graves is undoubtedly symbolic. |
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