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A

New

Artefact Typology for the Study

of

Medieval Arrowheads

y

OLIVER

JESSOP

R H EOLOGl Ur recovered wheads flom the British Isles dated

between

the

loth and th centunes arc examined. TIe exisiting arrowhead

typology

in the London

Museum Medieval Catalogue is

assessed

and

a new

V Pology

consisting

o

28 genericforms

and subdivided

into

functional groups

is

suggested.

The only available reference work for studying medieval a rr ow he ad s was

published in 1940.

The imention of this paper is to renew an interest in this

artefact by suggesting a new typology which takes

advantage

o f numerous

excavations

undenaken

during the last 55 years. The early typology is briefly

discussed

and

then incorporated into the new typology which accompanied

by

a

detailed catalogue.

TH E

LONDON MUSEUM MEDIEV L T LOGUE

ARROWHEAD TYPOLOGY

The original intention of the catalogue was that it should act as a summary

text book for the study of medieval finds from London.

2

Despite this it has been

used nationally as a

primary

source of reference by those involved in the

interpretation o f archaeological artefacts. Its author Ward Perkins emphasizes

that the chapter describing arrowheads has only on e purpose

to

serve as a

convienent basis for

classification?

an d as such it has

proved

very useful. However

he also stresses that it is n t exhaus[ive; and may even include a few non

medieval types .4 Regrettably this crucial point

is

some[imes overlooked by those

refering to it. Problems hav e o ccu rr ed because c er tai n forms

of arrowhead

ar e

clearly b s e n t ~ an d when such examples are recovered they ar e often inadvertently

auributed

to incorrect forms.

6

In an anem pt to give the arrowhead typology a chronological framework

arrowheads from six archaeological sites were used to provide dates.

7

There

are

however inherent problems with the accuracy

o f

this data. The first f f sites

8

were excavated before 1915 and their reliability

is

suspect mainly

du e

to the

poor

level of recording. The actual dates are

obtained

by dubious associations with other

anefacts

9

and

from unsubstantiated stratigraphic relationships.lo The remaining

9

2


2/14


3/14

194

OLIV R J SSOP

9

-

-

U m

.

0

0

.

.

.

MP

.

~ f \ ~

W Q b

__

1[0

u ~ _ ~

1

.

.. ..

.

J\ ;d

~ : ytA: ;1

l[;

41

42 1 13 M MIS 0 0

H 1 H 2

ffi:n

00

~ V

H 3 H 5

- .

0 0

0

.

.

.,

.

-


4/14

MEDIEVAL

AR R OW HEADS

195

>

,

,

,

,

0

0

z

,

,

,

-

0

W

Q

0

I

.

i

,

I

=?

arrowheads

are manufactured

from a flat

bar of iron requiring

less technological skill

than arrow-

heads

from

the

t h ~

15th

centuries.

yp

T 9th II

th centul .

This form has a long, thin, leaf

shaped blade, which s triangular

cross-section.

The

blade forms a

slight shoulder

and

then tapers to a

n ar ro w tang, which

s

diamond

or

circular

cross-section. Some blades

have a twisted tang

and

low ridges

on

the blade.

Function:

\ Varfare/Hunting. Dimen

sions: Length 102 I 55 mm. Width

10 13

mm, 20-21 mm.

Parallels/Date: Coppergate,19

loth I

th centul ; Ashmolean

Museum, unprovenanced.

Type T :

11th-12th century.

This form has a small leaf-shaped

blade, with a rectangular tang.

Function: Un cer tam . Dimensions:

Length 40 55 mm. Width

15 25 mm.

Parallels/Date: Uantwit Major,

14th-15th century;21 Dyserth Castle,

mid 13th century;22 Castle Acre Pri

ory, 12th-13th century;23 Butcombe,

13th centul .24

Type T :

12th ISth

century.

Description: This form

s

a develop

ment

of

T2.

It

has a triangular

shaped blade with

an

oval cross

section, an d a rectangular t ap er in g

tang.

Function: Hunting/Military. Dimen

sions: Length

40 55

mm. Width

15 28 mm.

Parallels/Date: Dyserth Castle, mid

13th centul .

MULTI PURPOSE FORMS

Ten

forms have been cat-

egorized as multi purpose. This

fI \I

Medieval

arrowhead

timeehart


5/14

196

OLIVER

JESSOP

rather

general subdivision has been chosen because these forms could have been

successfully employed for both hunting and warfare. However, for a few of the

forms a more likely function has been suggested.

All of

the

typ s

within this group

are socketed, thus having an advantage over the earlier tanged forms, TI-T3 in

that the wooden arrowshaft

is

firmly encased within an iron socket, thus creating

an

overall stronger physical structure. Additional to this, the socket made the arrow

more streamline and faster.

Types

MPI-MP6

are very similar in design. AU except MP4 have triangular

heads which are diamond

or

oval in crosssection.

Dr

Ian Goodall suggests that the

larger examples of these forms, MP2 and

M:Pa,

would have been used for

hunting.

26

They are a clear development

on

the basic shape, with similar attributes

to the larger and heavier broadheads, H3 and H4.

The

addition ofa thin spine,

as

on MPa, would have provided greater rigidity, which was perhaps necessary for a

successful multi-purpose arrowhead.

7jpeMPI:

11th-15th century.

This fonn has a tflangular blade, and a diamond crosssection, with a socket. L. \rge sizes

can occur. LtJndon

Museum Medieval Cawwgue,

Type

2.

Function: Huming. Dimensions: Length

40-t20

mm. Width 20-t ; mm.

Parallels/Date: Winchester, 12th-14th cemury;28 Uamrithyd; Goltho Manor 11th

cemury;30 Rivenhall;'l Castle Acre, 12th century;'2 Rumney Castle;33 Bramber Castle,

13th-14th century;34 Castleskreen, late 12th-13th

century.3 >

7jpeMP :

11th-14th century.

This fonn

similar to MP has a small

t r n ~ l r

head, diamond in crosssection

and

an

extended socket.

Lonfkm Museum MuJiroai Cawtogue,

Type 3. 6

Function: Uncertain. Dimensions: Length

45-60 mm.

Width 20 mm.

Parallels/Date: Goltho

Manor

11th

century;

Bramber Castle,

13th-ltth

century;H

Winchesler, 13th century;'9 Rumney Castle;40 Uantrithyd;41 Rivenhall;

Z

Ashmolean

Museum, unprovenanced;4' Salisbury;'

Cumnor;u

Portchester Castle, early medieval;46

Hereford, 13th-14th century;41

Urquhart

Castle, early medieval.

48

1 pe MP3:

loth-16th

century.

This is a very common form. is triangular in shape, but has rounded shoulders. is

socketed, with a diamond

or

oval crosssection.

LtJndon Museum Mtdieval Caw ogtu,

Type

1.

49

Function: Huming/Military. Dimensions: Lensrh 50-70 mm. Width

20-30

mm.

Parallels/Dace: Durham, loth-11th century; Castle Acre Pri02 12th-13th century; >l

Glastonbury Tor,

L.

12th

century; >z

Hereford, 13th-14th

century; >

Uantrithyd; >4 Beckery

Chapel; > >

Salisbury. >6

7jpeMP :

mid 13th century.

This form is a thin leaf-shaped blade, diamond

in

cross-section, with a short socket. LtJndon

Museum

MtdinJal CQwlogut, Type

4. >1

Function: Uncertain. Dimensions: Length

OO Z;

mm. Width

10-20

mm.

Parallels/Date: Winchester, mid 13th century; Rayleigh Castle; >9 Portchester Castle.

60

7jpeMP5:

late 11th century.

This fonn

is

socketed

and

triangular

n

shape; with shoulders cut off

at

an obtuse angle.

Function: Hunting/Military. Dimensions: Length 40--60 mm.Width

15-25

mm.

Parallels/Date: Uantrithyd;61 Great Yannouth, lace

th-12th

century;62 Portchester

Castle, early medieval.

63


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MEDIEVAL ARROWHEADS

97

jpe

MP : mid 12th century.

This

form has a triangular blade with slight barbs curving down from the shoulders, it is

socketed

and diamond

or oval in cross-section.

Function: Hunting/Military. Dimensions: Length

35 60

mm. Width IS 30 mm.

Parallels/Date: Loughor Castle;64 Llandough,

12th 13th

century;6S Ashmolean Museum,

unprovenanced;66 Chester;61 Woodperry;68 Castle Acre, 12th century;69

Rhuddlan

Castle,

13th century; Winchester, mid 13th century;71 Bramber Castle, I

3th

14th cemury.12

jpe r

early 13th centm .

This form has a barbed head which is oval or

diamond

in cross-section,

and

is socketed.

There

are wide variations in

barb

size

and

sockellength. London

Museum

Medieval Catalogue

Type 13

13

Function: Hunting/Military. Dimensions: Lenrh 40 60 mm. Width 18 30 mm.

Parallels/Date: Christchurch, 13th century;1 Woodperry;15 Dyserth Castle, mid 13th

century;76 Brandon Castle;71 Sandal Castle;18 Lurk Lane;19 Urquhart Castle, early

medievaL80

jpeMP : mid 13th century.

This form

is

similar to MP7.

has a central socketed spine with flat barbs attached, which

can vary in size.

Function: Huming. Dimensions: Length 35 50 mm. Width 15 25 mm.

Parallels/Date: DD slwyn Castle, late 3th 14th cemury;81 Lurk Lane;82 Lougho r Castle;83

Beckery Chapel;8 Rivenhall;85

Urquhart

Castle, early medieval;86 Clough Castle;87

Momgomery Castle, 13th century;88 Sealin Castle.

89

The final two forms within this multi-purpose group, MPg and MPIO, may have been

specifically designed for archerYJ ractice. ThiS is emphasized by their recovery from sites

such

as

Baile Hill

in York 90

an the Free

Grammar

School

in

Coventry.91 Their blunt

shape would allow straightforward removal from an archery butt and help reduce the

likelihood of serious physical wounding in the case of

an

accident. They can vary in size,

and are occasionally mistaken for ferrules from staffs or spears.

Ilpe

MP9:

12th-15th century.

his form has a short concoidal socket. A stubby version ofM6

Function: Military/Practice. Dimensions: Length 15 35 mm. Width

7 13

mm.

Parallels/Date: Baile Hill, late medieval;9z l1uish, 15th 16th century;93 Kildrummy

Castle;94 Great Linford;9s Lydford Castle;96 St Augustines Abbey;91 Sandal Castle;98

Rivenhall;99 Nott ingham Castle mid 16th

cenrury;IOO

St Frideswide s Monastry;lOI

\ inchester, 5th 17th c e n t u r y l ~ Barry Village; 3 Hereford, 15th 16th century.l04

jpeMPlo: 16th century.

This form is similar to MPg . is bullet-shaped and socketed. Occasionally decorated.

London Museum Meduval Catalogue Type 5

5

Function: Practice. Dimensions: Length 5 30 mm. Width 6 12 mm.

Parallels/Date: Baile Hill;l06 Free Grammar School, m id 16th cemury;101 Lydford

Castle;

8 St Mary of

Ospringe;

9

Sandal Castle;

llO

Winchester,

6th

18th century;

Salisbury.llZ

MILITARY

FORMS

The len mililary

forms

can be

divided into either compact

warheads

or slender

armour piercing heads

The

warheads M I M4 would have been effective

against

early forms of

armour

and

body

protection 3


7/14


8/14

M E D I E V A L

A R R O W H E A D S

Type M :

mid 13th-15th century.

This form has a long narrow tapering blade with a diamond cross-section it has a socket

which joins the blade smoothly

or

with a prominent shoulder.

Function: Annour-piercing. Dimensions: Length 80-1

7

mm. Width

8-13

mm.

Parallels/Date: Loughor

Castle;162

Dryslwyn Castle late 13th-15th century;163 Castell-y

Bere; 64 Criccieth

Castle;165

Montgomery Castle;l66 Dyserth

Castle;167

Th e

Mount;Il;8

Doonbought

Fort;169

Urquhart

Castle;17

Rhuddlan Castle 13th

century 171

TypeM9:

mid 13th-15th century.

This form is similar to M8. has a thick diamond-shaped tapering blade with a large

socket.

Function: Armour-piercing. Dimensions: Length 100-140 mm. Width 10-18 mm.

Parallels/Date: Carrisbrooke Castle;172 Dryslwyn Castle mid

13th-I lth

century;l73

Milton Keynes;

174

Rumney Castle;

75

Castell-Y.Bere;

76

Urquhart

Castlef

7

Type lo mid

12th-15th century.

This form has a short thin blade with a diamond cross-section and a socket. London

Museum

Medieval ataloglU

Types 8 and

1

78

Function: Armour-piercing. Dimensions: n ~ h

30-80

mm. Width 8-16 mm.

Parallels/Date: Castell-V-Bere 13th

centug;

9 Criccieth Castle;l80 Dryslwyn Castle late

13th-I ith

century;181 Pevensey Castle;18 Llandough 13th

century;183

Montgomery

CastJe/

8

Th e Mount;185

Urquhart Castle.

86

HUNTING ARROWHEADS

The

final group consists of five hunting arrowheads. Types H I and H2 are

sometimes

referred to as forkers 187 because

their

barbs point fOlWard either in a

crescent or V shape.

Their

exact function is unknown although they were possibly

used

for

catching

fowl.

The larger

forms Hg

an d

H4

are

often

referred

to

as

broadheads. The enormous barbs

allow

th e maximum cutting edge

possible which

would

have

caused

extensive

blood

loss

and

effectively

weakened

a

pursued

animal.

The

last arrowhead form within the

new

typology is H5. There is a lack

of

archaeological evidence for its existence; possibly

because

it was made from an

o rg an ic m at er ia l

such as

wood

or leather.

However

its inclusion within the

typology is

du e

to its illustration in medieval manuscripts.

88

is suggested

by

Blackmore that it would be ideal for catching smaller game birds

because their

delicate flesh would be extensively damaged

by

forked or barbed heads.

89

In the

14th-

century

hunting book w ri tt en b y

Gaston Ph oeb us

there is an illustration of

th e use of this form for hunting hares.

l9

appears that th e arrowhead would have

stunned the animal allowing easy retrevial b y the waitin g h ou nd s.

jpe HI:

late 13th century.

This form has a crescent-shaped head with a short socket the inside of the crescent is

sharpened. London

Museum Meauval

atalogue Type 6

9

Function: Hunting. Dimensions: Length

30-60

mm. Width

25-40

mm.

Parallels/Date: Basing House late medieval; 92 Ashmolean Museum unfrovenanced;193

Clarendon Palace;194 Glenluce;

95

Baile Hill 13th century;l96 Salisbury.

9

jpe H2: late 14th century.

This fonn is similar to H I It has a V-shaped head with a short socket. The inside angle is

sharpened.


9/14

2

O LI V ER

J E S S O P

Function: Hunting. Dimensions: Length 30-50 mm. Width 25-40 mm.

Parallels/Date: Blenheim Palace;198 Basing House, late medieval;l99 \ \l

es

lbury;200 Carris

brooke Castle.

2

The

two examples ofbroaclheads Hg

and H4

are representative ofa very large range

of

forms.

They

do, however, split into two distinct groups; those with a Rattish

diamond

cross-section, Hg,

and

those with a central socketed spine, H4.

Their

size varies from c

mm

in

barb

width to

c

40 mm.

They

appear to be absent from early assemblages,

an d

they may be a late introduction.

Type

H :

mid 13th century.

This

form has a centrally enclosed socket, by the addition of t va large, flat barbs,

it

is

diamond in cross-section. Many derivatives.

Function: Hunting Broadhead . Dimensions: Length 50-100 mm. Width 45-100 mm.

Parallels/Date: EItham Palace;2 2 Christchurch,

3 th

century;203 Clarendon Palace;2 4

Low Petergate;205 Woodperry.206

YpeH4: 14th century.

This

form is similar to H3. A tapering socket forms the spine

of

the arrowhead, with two

long curving barbs.

u o

Museum

Medieval

Catalogue Types 4

and

1:> 2 7

Function: HUllting Broadhead . Dimensions: Length 35-80 mm. Wldth 50-100 mm.

Parallels/Date: Customs House;2 8 Usk;2 9 Ashmolean Museum, unprovenanced;210

Okehampton Castle, ?th- 6th century;211 Westbury;212 \Voodperry;213 Clarendon Pal

ace;214 New Romney.21

Ype

H :

:2th- 3th

century.

This form is a blunt-ended arrowhead, with a socket.

Function: Hunting Birds/Rabbits . Dimensions: Length

20-45

mm. Width 10-:25 mm.

Parallels/Date: Blackmore;216 Gaston Phoebus.

217

CONCLUSION

The ne w

typology

has

attempted

to

incorporate th e

common

forms o f

arrowhead f ro m t he B ri ti sh Isles dating to b et we en t he lOth and 16th

centuries. It

combines th e

strengths of

th e London Museum Medieval Catalogue typOlogy,216 and is

designed in

such a

wa y

that

ne w

forms can and

should

be added i nt o t he

sequence.

Future work

a im s t o look more

closely a t th e c on te xt of deposition and th e effect o f

continental influence on arrowhead shape and development. This s ho ul d h el p

refine

the suggested date

ranges

for

th e individual

types.

CKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This

paper is based upon research initally conduCled for a B.A. dissertation at the

University of Durham. I would like

to

thank Dr C. Caple, DrJ. Price

an d

Prof. M. Millen

for their comments on earlier drafts

ofthisraper an d

Dr

Goodall

and

Mr T.

De

Reuck

for their continued support

and

advice. am also grateful to Dr M. Redknap at the

National Museum of Wales,

Mr A. M ac Gr eg or a t

the Ashmolean Museum, Ms J.

Stevenson

at

the Museum of London

an d

Dr

M

Gamster

at

the British Museum for

allowing me access to the unpublished arrowheads within their museum stores. Finally, I

must thank my wife Pippa an d M.R.G. for their patience an d constant encouragement

during

the writing of

thiS

paper.


10/14

MEDIEVAL ARROWHEADS

201

NOTES

, I ,mdon Museum

Medinml

CaI


11/14

2 0 2

O L I V E R J E S S O P

03

Ashmolean

Museum

unpublished. Accession no. 1876.

I

36.

. .

A . B o r ~

Arms an d Armour ,

in P.

an d

E.

Saunders (cds.),

Salishry MUJeum Mrdieval U1tawgue,

I (Salisbury,

1 9 ~ I ) , 82 , nels no.

I

.

L

Allen, Smal f inds ,

in

T. Allen

lJ

aL,

A

Medieval grange

of

Abingdon Abbey at

D ean C ou rt

Farm,

Cumnor, Oxford ,

Ox(mitnsia,

59

(1?Q4),

367-68,

finds no.

l

D. A. Hinton, Objecls

of

Iron ,i n B. Cunliffe, Etc


12/14

M ED IE VA L A R RO W H EA D S

23

9 N. P. Thompson, 'Excavations on a Medieval Site at Huish, [967-68 , Wi/I hirt

Arthato/. Na/ur.

Hisl. Mag.,

67 (1972), 120-2[, finds no. 26.

94 M:

R. Apted, 'Excavation at Kildrummy Castle, Aberdeenshire', ?rl ;. t

A ~ l i q &01.,

96

1 9 6 3 - 6 ~ ) ,

211-32, finds no. 44.

S

D. C. Mynard and

R.j.

Zeepvat,

Ex,alla/wns

al Grfa/

Linford, 974 80

(Buckinghamshire Archaeol. Soc.

~ o n o . Ser. 3, [99t) , 203-04, finds no. 387.

l6

I. Goodall, 'fron Objects', in

A.

D. Saunders, 'Lydford Castle, Devon', MditliaiArchotol., 24

(I

gBo),

165-68,

finds no. [3.

9 M. Henig and H. Woods, 'Small Finds', in D. Sherlock et at

St

AugustintsAbbry, Rtporlon Ex,allations g60 78

(Kent Archaeol.

Soc.

Mono. Ser. 4, [988 ,223-25, finds no. 126.

98

Credland, op. cit. in note 78, 265-66, finds nos. 29-3 [.

l l Rodwell an d Rodwell, op. cit. in note

3[ ,

44-46, finds no. 23.

0 0 C. Drage, 'Nottingham Castle- A Place Full Royal', Trans. Thrown 5 Noltinghamshirf, 93 ([990), 125-26,

finds no. 46.

'01 I.

Goodall, 'Iron ObjeClS',

inJ,

Blair (ed.), St Frideswitk's Monostry at Oxford,

Ardweologu;ol

om

Archiftc/u,ol

SflIdies (Gloucester, 1990),43-44, finds nos. [0, I I .

\02

Goodall,

op.

cit. m note 26, 1074, finds no. 4016.

\n,. . Lew,s and S. H. Sell, 'Objects

of

Metal and Bone', in H.j.

Thomas

and G. Dowdell, A shrunken

r-, Iedieval Village at Barry, Somh Glamorgan', Ar&htW:/l. Combrrosis., [36 (1987), [28-29, finds no. 3.

\0-< Shoesmith, op. cit.

in

note 47,4-7, finds nos.

2.9-2.[3.

I l l \Vard Perkins, op. cit. in note I 65,

fig.

16, type 5.

l


13/14

2 0 4 OLIVER

JESSOP

IH

Goodall, op.

cit.

in nott

32,

235-36, finds nos. 1 ~ 6 - 5 9 .

National Museum

of

Wales unpublished. AccesSIon nos. 76 4H r5, 76.4H/ 16.

146

J. G. Hurst, 'The Kitchen Area

of

Northholt Manor, Middlesex', M e d ~ / j l ArchlW.li., 5 (1961), 2ag-go, finds

nO5

14 S h ~ s m i t h op. cit. in note 47, 4-7, finds no.

2.8.

148 Chatwin, op. cit. in note 77,

81-82,

pI. 7.

'.9

Goodall, op. cit. in note 30,

185-86,

finds nos. 183, 184.

I >O Ward

Perkins, op.

cit.

in nole 1,65,

tip;.

[6, type

I.

15\

Goodall, op.

cit.

in note 30, [85-86,

finds nos.

[

5-87.

U2 Goodall, op. cit. in note 32,

235-36,

finds nos. [52-55.

IH

Uoyd-Fem and

Sell, op. cit. in note 33, '34-35, finds no.

' ' ' jessop, op. cit. in

nOlC

81, finds no. 25.

us . M. Lewis, 'The Excavations

of

the New Building at Montgomery Castle',

Archatol.

Cambrtnsis, J J7

8), [49-50, finds no. [0.

[ Coodall, op. cit. in note 70, I

88-Sg,

finds no. 143.

[ 1

Chatwin, Op.


14/14

MEDIEVAL ARROWHEADS 5

- J.

M. Mills 'Arrowheads',

in

R J. Ivens d

td

TtllIDthlINi Walbll 1.

umtd

Mnn J SdinntJrlsDt M Jkw

/lfptu

(Budinxhamshire Archaeol. Soc.,

~ I o n o .

Ser. 8, '995), 337-40. 364,finds no. 117.

to Fairbrother, op. ciL in note lIS.

finds

no. 3

2 ft H. Woods,

Ibc

Excavation al E1tham Palace, 1975-9

TTfIIU

lmuJOII MiiJl a ArcluuoL

Soc.,

33

1 g 8 ~ ,

2 ~ r - . 6 0 , finds no. 26.

GoodalI,op. cit. in nOle 74, 76-77, finds no. y.z.

204

Goodall,

op.

cit.

in

nOIC

9 4 . 2 1 1 - 2 3

finds

no.

122.

- P. Wenham, 'Excavations in

Low

Petergale,

York,

1957-58', TorksJiireArduwL ] 44

197:;1),

94, finds no. 2.

iIOli

.1. Wil on, 'Antiquities found at Woodpeny, Oxon Arrhatllf 3 {1846

j,

119 22 finds no. 5.

7 7

Vard Perkins, op. cit. in

nOlc 1,65.

fig. 16, type 14,

'5.

20Il T. Tallon-Brown, T he Excavations at the Customs House Site, City

of

London - 1973', TraM

LondDn

iddltsu

ArdlUOl .

25

(1974),

J

69-90, finds no. 49.

709 W. H. Manning

Iron

In P. Courtney, RJporl

x lIlXllitms III

Usk Mtduoo/ and Lalu Usk

(Cardiff, 1994),

711-74, finds no.

3.

o Ashmolean Museum unpublished. Accession no. 1920.87.

~ a l l

Of?

in note 133, 1 0 5 - t t : n d s no. 15

Mills op. Cit. m not'

2 0 0 337-40

3 finds no. I I I I.

1 3

Wilson, op.

cit. in note 206, 119-77 nds no.

6.

.

GocxblJ,

za tipologiju strelica

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