VIKING RAIDER’S TANGED ARROWHEAD, 9th-11th CENTURY AD - WAS $235

This arrowhead was made specifically for surprise raids which were conducted on Mediterranean coastal towns to collect booty and capture slaves for sale in North Africa. It is about 4 ¼” in length, forged to an especially flat thin section, for flesh cutting where victims were not wearing protective clothing. They were used for night raids where the victims had no warning. It is leaf shape with a slightly cusped bottom and tapered tang. The general method was to kill the men with the initial assault and capture the women and children. The food and any valuables were then taken and the ships slipped off into the night.