arrow-heads is that given in the "Catalogue and Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities belonging to the Royal Society and preserved at Gresham College," [1] made by Nehemiah Grew, M.D., F.R.S. In Part III., Chap. V., Of Regular Stones, Dr. Grew speaks of "The flat Bolthead—Anchorites. Of affinity with that well described by Wormius[2] with the title of Silex venabuli ferreum cuspidem exacte referens. By Moscardo[3] with that of Pietre Ceraunie; who also figures it with three or four varieties. This like those of a perfect Flint and semiperspicuous. 'Tis likewise, in the same manner, pointed, like a Speer, having at the other end, like those of Moscardo, a short handle. But, moreover, hath this peculiar, that 'tis pointed or spiked also backward on both sides of the Handle, with some resemblance to an Anchor or the head of a Bearded Dart, from whence I have named it. 'Tis likewise tooth'd on the edges, and the sides as it were wrought with a kind of undulated sculpture, as those before mentioned. Another different from the former, in that it is longer, hath a deeper indenture, but no handle. Both of them strike fire like other flints." There is a representation given of this Anchorites, which shows it to have been a common barbed arrow-head with a central stem.
Moscardo's[4] figures which are here cited represent for the most part tanged arrow-heads. He says that Bonardo relates that they fall from the clouds, and that those who carry them cannot be drowned or struck by lightning. They produce, moreover, pleasant dreams.
Mention has already been made of the superstition attaching to flint arrow-heads in Scotland, where they were popularly regarded as the missiles of Elves. In speaking of them Dr. Stuart[5] quotes Robert Gordon of Straloch, the well-known Scottish geographer, who wrote about 1661. After giving some details concerning elf-darts, this writer says that these wonderful stones are sometimes found in the fields and in public and beaten roads, but never by searching for them; to-day, perhaps one will be found where yesterday nothing could be seen, and in the afternoon in places where before noon there was none, and this most frequently under
- ↑ London, 1681.
- ↑ "Mus.," lib. i,, sect. 3, c. xiii.
- ↑ "Mus. Mosc." lib. ii. c. 1.
- ↑ Mus. Mosc. (1672), p. 148. See Mat., vol. xi. p. 1.
- ↑ Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot., vol. iv. p. 66. In the Theatrum Scotiæ of Blaeuw's "Atlas," is a plate of arrow-beads found in Aberdeenshire. This has been pointed out to me by the late Dr. J. Hill Burton. See his "Hist. of Scot.," vol. i. p. 136 n.
