Medieval bronze arrowheads

Philip · 21st July 2019, 05:18 AM

Casting bronze arrowheads in gang-molds, as opposed to forging iron ones individually. does indeed have the advantage of production speed. And in times of emergency, bronze objects collected from the populace and from civil institutions could be quickly recycled into war matériel. History records ample instances where this was done, not only in Europe but in Eastern cultures as well, down to the 19th cent.

Looking at the issue of these arrowheads in light of other situations (i.e. not requiring use of confiscated materials), it might be interesting to compare the market value of iron vs bronze in the area and during the era in question. If the culture had the choice between making projectiles out of iron or bronze when the technology existed to go either way, there must have been a point at which the advantage in productivity trumped the cost differential for the materials.

21st July 2019, 05:18 AM	#7
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	the economic factor Casting bronze arrowheads in gang-molds, as opposed to forging iron ones individually. does indeed have the advantage of production speed. And in times of emergency, bronze objects collected from the populace and from civil institutions could be quickly recycled into war matériel. History records ample instances where this was done, not only in Europe but in Eastern cultures as well, down to the 19th cent. Looking at the issue of these arrowheads in light of other situations (i.e. not requiring use of confiscated materials), it might be interesting to compare the market value of iron vs bronze in the area and during the era in question. If the culture had the choice between making projectiles out of iron or bronze when the technology existed to go either way, there must have been a point at which the advantage in productivity trumped the cost differential for the materials.