An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c24.s3.t1.7

v1.c24.s3.t1.7

Taxila has yielded several types of spear- and javelin-heads and a socketed butt. The former have been broadly classified into the following types (Marshall, 1951, 2, p. 546): (i) spike-shaped spearhead of iron, four-sided with tang for fixing into wooden shaft, of great penetrating power against plate or mail armour, length 19 cm, 3rd to 2nd century B.C.; (ii) four specimens, with the shaft and head in one piece, (a) one shaft broken, 98·50 cm long, the head three-flanged, 3rd to 2nd century B.C., (b) another, similar but with four-flanged head, shaft broken, length 63·50 cm, 1st century A.D., (c) similar to (b) and from same spot, and (d) a javelin-head of narrow leaf shape, broken, length 16·50 cm, probably of the same class of heavy javelins as (a) to (c), though only 7·50 cm of the shaft is preserved, 5th century A.D., (b) and (c), with four-flanged head, being from Sirkap; (iii) leaf-shaped with central rib and tang, tang broken, length 21 cm, 1st century A.D.; and (iv) socketed, two specimens, one dagger-shaped with hollow socket (broken), length 18 cm, 1st century A.D., and the other of knife-blade pattern, length 30 cm, 5th century A D The socketed butt is represented by a solitary conical spear-butt, with horizontal rim.