The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c10.354

v1.c10.354

**Ancient arrows :** Of the most ancient arrow, the *Ṛgveda* gives the following description: "The arrow puts on a feathery wing: the horn of the deer is its point: it is bound with the sinews of the cow".¹⁸⁵ The commentator in one place supposes that the points of such arrows were poisoned,¹⁸⁶ and in another place the Veda itself describes the arrow as made of the *śara* reed with its blade of iron and point anointed with poison.¹⁸⁷ The deer-horn point was undoubtedly the most ancient form; and must have prevailed for some time; but, seeing that the arms and armour of Greece in the time of Homer (B. C. 1000) were for the most part of bronze, though iron was known and is often spoken of under the name "difficult to work in," it may be fairly asked,—did the Aryans, to any large extent, employ iron for the fabrication of their arms during the early Vedic period of the *Ṛk Saṃhitā*, notwithstanding occasional mention in it of the iron-pointed arrow? To meet this question, it is necessary to enquire to what extent that metal was known and worked.