The hunters’ arrowheads

The hunters of the Maglemose Culture’s flint arrowheads were small but effective! The Aurochs from Vig was hit with at least three so-called “ lancet microliths”. Microliths are small arrowheads weighing a few grammes, and in this case they functioned as points on the arrows that brought down the large animal.

The aurochs was not brought down by a single arrow. Instead the hunters tried to hit the animal as many times as possible. On entering the aurochs’ body the arrows caused blood loss, pain and exhaustion. In normal circumstances the large animal would have succumbed and ended up as food for the hunters. The Aurochs from Vig became so frightened, however, that it fled into the lake and sank to the bottom. So the pursuers did not get much for all their exertions! However, this does not alter the fact that the small flint arrowheads were an extremely effective weapon, which could cause serious injuries to the largest and most dangerous animals of the forest. The technology to produce these deadly arrowheads was highly specialised.