Crossbow Bolt
Cultureprobably
German
Dateearly 1500s
Mediumwood and leather
Dimensions1 oz (weight) 32cm
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.686.7
DescriptionWooden shaft for a bolt with remains of leather vanes or flights. Head missing. Wood worn. One vane almost partially intact, the other mostly lost. Two small grooves at rear of vanes, on the narrow edge.Label TextBody armor was ultimately made obsolete by gunpowder, but already in the Middle Ages it faced a serious threat from crossbows. Like firearms, crossbows were simple “point-and-shoot” weapons that could be used by soldiers with very little training. These crossbow bolts have stout heads to help them pierce armor.ProvenancePurchased by the Museum on June 5, 1930 from Ernst Schmidt, Munich, Germany. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.
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