Cleveland Museum of Art

Crossbow Bolt

Date

1500s–1600s

Medium

wood, leather, steel

Culture

Germany

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Created by skilled technicians from wood, steel, and leather, each bolt was handmade with slight differences in construction and design. These bolts were used with a crossbow and they were more powerful than traditional bows and arrows. A soldier could carry many bolts and still maneuver easily around the battlefield. Bolts with leather feathering were used mainly in the Tyrolean area, which includes northern Italy and western Austria.

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