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Title
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Tumbler of the Crossbow
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Collection Location
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Vietnam National Museum of History, Hanoi
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Date
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c. 1st century BC, Bronze Age
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Location
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Dong Son, Thanh Hoa, Vietnam
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Description
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The tumbler here refers to the trigger mechanism of the crossbow. Found in the sites of Dong Son in the North, along with a storehouse of bolts, the artifact attached has been associated with the myth of the sacred crossbow, belonging to An Duong Vong, the supreme chief in the Red River Delta region, and mentioned as a divine object in the tragic romantic tale of his daughter, My Chau, and Trong Thuy. The tumbler itself is bronze, inspired by its Chinese counterparts, and the prod and the stock are most likely made of wood or bamboo. There seems to be a rope-like material for the binding. It lacks the complicated design of the repeating crossbow later observed in China and Southeast Asia, only requiring a simplistic composition. A rectangular block protrudes beneath the bolt rest, most likely the bridle block, which is more prominent than the crossbows found in Medieval Europe or China, possibly indicating its primitive arrangement. This is evidenced by the weapon lacking a stirrup, however, it is effective as it does not require a spring to span an arrow. It bears similarities to the crossbows crafted during the Qin dynasty, which allowed for infantrymen on the flanks of an army to shoot over long distances as the enemy came closer.
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Source
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Vietnam National Museum of History
