An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c24.s3.11

v1.c24.s3.11

The bone and ivory arrowheads of Taxila have been classified into the following four types (Marshall, 1951, 2, p. 664): (i) roughly shaped and sharpened at both ends, the point sharp and the tang tapering, length 7·77 cm; (ii) with smooth circular point and well-defined tang, divided from the tang by projecting flange, length 7·76 cm; (iii) with long circular point with hollow socket at back for insertion of shaft tenon, length 9·27 cm; and (iv) with trilateral point, circular shaft provided with socket-hole behind, length 5·39 cm. These bone and ivory arrowheads had been taken by Cunningham to be spillikins or 'tip-cats', but they are much too small for that game. Type (i) is found in both Bhir Mound and Sirkap and was in use from the 5th century B.C. to the 1st century A.D., but the earlier Bhir Mound specimens are distinguished from the Sirkap ones in having the point of the arrowhead somewhat better finished than the tang. The other three types are found exclusively in Bhir Mound and date from the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. These Taxila specimens could hardly have been intended for serious warfare, unless they were poisoned. Possibly they were employed for the practice of archery or for shooting birds, or it may be that they were useful to the town police as being less deadly than iron ones.