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Archaeologists in Norway ’s mountains have discovered a " very rare " ancient arrow that still has its quartzite arrowhead and plumage fletching in place .
It ’s likely that reindeer hunter used the weapon up to 3,000 years ago , accord to archaeologistLars Pilø , who direct theSecrets of the Iceproject in the Jotunheimen Mountains of central Norway ’s Oppland area .
The newly discovered arrow has a quartzite arrowhead that was attached to a birch shaft.
While archaeologists with the projection have previously regain human - madehunting blinds where Orion hid while targeting reindeer , the newfound pointer was n’t unearthed near one .
" There are no hunting screen in the immediate vicinity , but this arrow was found along the upper boundary of the ice , so the hunters may simply have been hiding behind the upper ridgepole , " Pilø say Live Science in an email .
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The wooden shaft still has feather fletching attached to it.
closed book of the Ice glacial archaeologist Espen Finstad discovered the pointer on Sept. 13 . Due to human - make climate variety , the snow and methamphetamine in the Jotunheimen Mountains is disappear , expose artifacts from hundreds to G of eld ago . If archaeologists do n’t find these human - made items quickly after being exposed , the artifacts can deteriorate in the elements .
Finstad found the arrow during a target survey , when he and colleagues " hold newly unwrap area along the edge of the chalk , " Pilø allege .
An analytic thinking unwrap that the arrow ’s jibe was made of birch and that it still had an flowing fletching with three preserved feathers . Hunters utilize fletching to help guide the pointer in flight , but these typically disintegrate over fourth dimension .
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The quartzite arrowhead at the front of the shaft of light " is scarcely seeable because pitching covers most of the arrowhead , " Pilø said . " The delivery was used for securing the arrowhead to the light beam and to smooth the front of the pointer , allowing for better insight . Arrows with preserved arrowheads still attach are not uncommon during the Iron Age on our ice sites , but this early they are very rarified . "
The lurch belike came from birch charcoal , he added .
Despite its well - preserved arrowhead and plumage , the rest of the arrow get along slightly bad . The or so 2.9 - groundwork - foresightful ( 90 centimeters ) arrow break off into three pieces along its ray of light , " probably due to Baron Snow of Leicester pressure , " Pilø said .
