Arrowhead (<i>Yanone</i>)
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Steel
Dimensions
L. 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm); L. of head 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm); W. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm); Wt. 0.4 oz. (11.3 g)
Classification
Archery Equipment-Arrowheads
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Collection of Giovanni P. Morosini, presented by his daughter Giulia, 1932
Accession Number
32.75.690
Art Historical Context
This exquisite steel arrowhead, known as *yanone* in Japanese, hails from 18th-century Japan and exemplifies the masterful craftsmanship of the Edo period. Measuring just 4 3/8 inches in total length with a compact head of 1 1/4 inches, its slender form and lightweight 0.4 ounces made it ideal for archery, a skill central to samurai culture and warfare. Forged from high-quality steel, the arrowhead's precise dimensions—1 3/4 inches wide—reflect advanced metallurgical techniques honed over centuries, balancing aerodynamics with lethal penetration. In Japanese history, archery was not merely ma...