A Shooting Experiment with Reconstructed Scythian Arrows and Bows : New Data on the Iron Age Siege at Dédestapolcsány-Verebce-tető

The archaeological research of the last decades revealed that around beginning Middle Iron Age, at end 7th century BC, territory Northeast Hungary and Western Slovakia eastern part today’s Czech Republic were hit by an extensive series attacks. Approximately 20 fortified settlements are known today where bronze arrowheads, found along pristine hillfort walls, bear witness to devastating sieges occurred almost simultaneously. most spectacular evidence Early Age attack in is settlement Dédestapolcsány–Verebce-tető, located fringes Bükk Mountains. Hundreds early Scythian-type cast arrowheads have been discovered there, scattered northern wall defensive earthworks surrounding inhabitation zone. Recently, as a new project, we conducted shooting experiment using reconstructed bows arrows obtain additional information about efficiency used siege, well probable progress details event.