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Ten Arrows

Qin dynasty (221–206 BC)

Not on view

While bronze arrowheads continued to be used during the Qin dynasty, their shape had evolved considerably from earlier eras. These examples, excavated from the mausoleum complex of the First Emperor of Qin, have a triangular cross section that enhanced the arrow’s penetrative force. Iron arrowheads began to be used in the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 9), gradually replacing bronze ones.

Ten Arrows, Bronze, China — Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

秦铜箭镞十枚

Title: Ten Arrows

Period: Qin dynasty (221–206 BC)

Culture: China

Medium: Bronze

Dimensions: L. 4 7/16–6 7/16 in. (11.3–16.3 cm)

Classification: Metalwork

Credit Line: Lent by Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

Accession Number: SL.1.2017.23.13a–j

The Met

Asian Art at The Met

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world.