Iron Arrowheads from Objects of the Xianbei Time of the Karban-I Complex (Northern Altai)

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of iron arrowheads discovered during excavations of objects of the Xianbei time of the Karban-I funerary complex. This site is located on the left bank of the Katun river, 1.7 km north-west of the Kuyus village, in the Chemal region of the Altai Republic. During the excavation of the Great Migration period burials, a collection of 14 iron arrowheads was discovered at this necropolis. As a result of the classification of these items, one group, one category, one section, two departments, five types of products with several options are distinguished. The analysis of the available materials allows us to assert that the three-bladed tiered arrowheads of types 1a, 2a belong to the Xiongnu military tradition and date back to the 2nd — 5th centuries AD. A specimen with equalsized layers of type 3a can be an early «transitional» to the South Siberian tradition. Iron arrowheads with a geometric feather of asymmetric-rhombic (type 4a) and rhombic (type 5 a) forms without support existed during the Xianbei-Rouran period (2nd — 5th centuries AD).