Arme ou symbole: étude d’une singulière pointe de flèche en os de la période mérovingienne découverte en Alsace

Abstract

Weapon or Symbol: Investigation of a Unique Bone Arrowhead of the Merovingian Period Discovered in Alsace

During an archaeological rescue excavation in Merxheim (dép. Haut-Rhin / F) in 2014, an Early Medieval burial complex of the 6^th to 10^th century was uncovered. In grave 55 a bone arrowhead was found, whose shape places it in the Merovingian Period. During the analysis no parallels for this bone arrowhead in the Merovingian sphere could be identified. Accordingly, it was necessary to understand this lack of parallels and the reasons for making an arrowhead from bone. The main problem was to discover whether the choice of this material could have been of ballistic interest, in particular for hunting small game. For this purpose the different factors, from the bow to the components of an arrow, were taken into account. The use of bone for an arrowhead does not seem to be contraproductive. The lack of parallels and the relatively easy malleability of such an object made of bone instead of iron, however, allow one to postulate the possibility of a symbolic artefact, which was meant to represent the hunting experience within the grave.