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Title
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Hanoi Crafting Office Crossbow Mechanism
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Collection Location
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Shanghai Museum
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Date
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Eastern Han Dynasty (25CE - 220CE)
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Location
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Hanoi (formerly a territory of the Eastern Han dynasty)
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Description
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This crossbow mechanism held by the Shanghai Museum is dated to the Eastern Han dynasty. The specific location of its unearthing is not listed, but it can be inferred that it was likely made in Hanoi when it came under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Han dynasty.
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 that would stick out in front of the sight but that are hidden in this photo are a part of the same component as the wangshan and serve as the nut, or ya (牙). This specimen is missing its trigger, or xuandao (悬刀), and within the bronze casing, or guo (郭) there is a sear, or gouxin (钩心), which hangs exposed from the mechanism in this photo, connecting the sight and nut and the trigger. The mechanism is held together by two bronze axle pins, but this specimen is missing its front pin. The top surface of the bronze casing has a groove that goes down the middle which would continue onto the wooden stock of the crossbow. This groove would be where the arrow rests during drawing and aiming.
The museum was able to identify the origin of the crossbow as being from the Hanoi crafting office. This could be because of an engraving on the mechanism itself that is not visible in the photo or from archaeological context.
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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
