Original scientific paper
Depictions of a Spear and Bow and Arrows on the Medieval Tombstones from the Dalmatinska Zagora
Krešimir Kužić
Abstract
In this article the author describes reliefs depicting a spear and bow with arrows on the kamici (self-standing medieval tombstones) from Dalmatinska Zagora. After providing an introductory analysis of the typology of weapons, the author gives the Latin and Croatian terminology for several subdivisions of spears and bows. The thirteenth-century Spalatin chronicler Archdeacon Thomas is the richest source of Latin military terminology, while texts of a fourteenth-century Croatian translation of a Life of Alexander the Great and sixteenth-century works by Mark Marulić and Faust Vrančić are the best sources for Croatian vernacular terminology. The article continues with a description, and from it the deduction of the dating, of two depictions of a spear and two depictions of a bow with arrows. The first depiction, of a rider’s spear, is to be found on a tombstone from Bisko, while the second, showing a spear of the foot-soldier’s type, may be seen on a tombstone from Konjsko. There is a damaged depiction of a bow and arrow on a tombstone from Mitlo, while another bow and arrow is shown on a tombstone from Prgomet. In the closing part of the article the reasons why these types of weapons fell out of use are discussed.
Keywords
Dalmatinska Zagora; kamik (self-standing medieval tombstones); nobility; military history; the Middle Ages
Hrčak ID:
10202
URI
Publication date:
1.3.2002.
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