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Title
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Eighth Year of Yongyuan 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, 96CE
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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 96CE. 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), 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 with square ends. 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.
There is engraving visible on the casing of the mechanism, part of it is decipherable as “eighth year of Yongyuan”, which is where the museum acquired the dating of this mechanism from.
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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
