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Title
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Crossbow Mechanism with Inlaid Bird Design
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Collection Location
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Shanghai Museum
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Date
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Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE)
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Location
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China
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Description
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This crossbow mechanism held by the Shanghai museum is dated to the Han dynasty. Its specific location of unearthing is not listed
The mechanism is made of bronze and it comprises most of the typical parts of a Chinese crossbow mechanism. The long rectangular protrusion at the top of the mechanism is the sight, or wangshan (望山). The two small hooks sticking out in front of the sight are a part of the same component as the wangshan and serve as the nut, or ya (牙). The rectangular handle at the bottom of the mechanism is the trigger, or xuandao (悬刀), and within the bronze casing, or guo (郭) there is a sear, or gouxin (钩心) connecting the sight and nut and the trigger. The mechanism is held together by two bronze axle pins. The top surface of the bronze casing has a groove that goes down the middle of its top surface which would continue onto the wooden stock of the crossbow. This groove would be where the arrow rests during drawing and aiming.
It is not visible from the photo provided by the museum, but given that the museum has titled this entry as a “Crossbow Mechanism with Inlaid Bird Design”, there might be an inlaid bird design on a different surface of the mechanism.
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Source
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Shanghai Museum
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Crossbow Top Measurements
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Measurements not listed
