The exhibition of the State Museum-Reserve “Kulikovo Field” features an iron armor-piercing arrowhead displayed in its main hall “Rus and Horde: 14th Century Warfare”. It is part of an arrow for a composite bow from the 13th–14th centuries. The arrowhead was made of iron. It features a small pyramidal head, a cylindrical socket, and an elongated shaft. Each side of the head has a groove running along its entire length. Additionally, there are two bands at the base of the socket.
This arrowhead was discovered in 1998 by the museum’s expedition in Tula Oblast led by Andrey Nikolayevich Naumov.
Most arrowheads from the Central Russian Upland, dating back to the Battle of Kulikovo, are difficult to attribute to Russian or Horde equipment, as similar types were utilized by both sides in the conflict.
It was different with the arrowheads from earlier eras, such as those from the second half of the first millennium. They date back to the time when Slavic tribes settled in the Central Russian Upland and began to dominate the region while simultaneously fighting nomads for survival — a struggle that continued until 1480 and ended with the Great Stand on the Ugra River.
Flat and somewhat rough arrowheads were used by tribes in forested areas. In contrast, three-bladed arrowheads were characteristic of nomads. They were inherited from the Scythian and Sarmatian period of the early centuries CE. Subsequently, a variety of arrowheads emerged. Varangians and squads of Russian princes introduced new types and designs. Moreover, new arrowheads were brought at first by nomadic tribes from Siberia and later by Tatar-Mongols from Asia.
During the era of the Golden Horde, there was a trend towards using heavier protective armor. This led to the development of armor-piercing arrowheads. The one displayed at the museum-reserve was specifically designed for penetrating armor. This is indicated by its flattened shape and grooves that prevent deformation upon impact with armor surfaces. These types of arrowheads are commonly found among ancient Russian artifacts.
