Stukl

ARHEOLOŠKI VESTNIK

ARHEOLOŠKI VESTNIK 58, 2007

Jože ŠTUKL

About the arrow and boltheads from the area of medieval Škofja Loka

Abstract

The article discusses the medieval crossbow bolthead that was found in the castle garden. The bolthead, which presumably originates from Loka Castle in Škofja Loka, represents merely a small fragment of the stock of weapons stored in Loka Castle in medieval times by the Freising bishops but which has not been preserved. The only evidence of its existence consists of records of movable inventory from the beginning of the 14th century.

The article then presents arrow and boltheads for a bow and crossbow, and the problems of differentiating between them since each weapon required a specific type of projectile.

The arrow and boltheads from the castle of Zgornji stolp on Krancelj, which came to light during the excavations in the years 1954-1955, were typologically classified into two basic types according to the shape of the shaft: Type I - tang arrowheads, and Type II - socketed arrowheads. Considering the shape of the leaf, each type was then classified into subtypes.

Since we lack stratigraphic data for the material from Zgornji stolp on Krancelj, we could date the excavated arrow and boltheads to the period from the 12th to the beginning of the 16th century only with the aid of accompanying material and the time in which the castle was used. After the year 1511, the tower on Krancelj was abandoned.

Keywords: Slovenia, Škofja Loka, Loka Castle, Krancelj, Zgornji stolp, medieval period, movable inventory records, typology, arrowheads, boltheads, bow, crossbow

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