76 



Art. 4.— E. Torii et K. Torii 



Les antiques Tong-Hou ne travaillaient pas le bronze. Ces objets 

 en bronze étaient en usage sur le fin de l'âge néolithique Tong-Hou. 

 Par les dessins qu'ils portent, on peut les dater du temps qui va des 

 Han antérieurs aux Han postérieurs. 



Pointes de flèches en bronze. — Ces six pointes de flèches, de 

 grandeur naturelle sur la planche ci dessous, ont été recueillies par 

 les populations actuelles mongoles, dans les solitudes sablonneuses 

 de l'Arkhortchin, du Tcharot oriental et occidental, de l'Outchi- 

 moutchin oriental, de la Mongolie extérienre extrême orientale, des 



Fig. 66. Pointes de flèches cîlestes trouvées eu Ar-Khor-tchin, en Outchi-Moutchin oriental 

 et chez les Khalkas Mongols à Houboutchin Wang. Grandeurs naturelles. 



Tsetsen-Khan et de l' Houboutchin-wang. Toutes sont en bronze. 

 Les nomades les appellent , , Tengri-Som , , flèches célestes. Ces 

 pointes de flèches, disent-ils, sont celles que se lancèrent les 

 „dieux ,, dans les nombreux combats qu'ils se livrèrent au ciel, les 

 uns aux autres, il y a longtemps de cela, et qui tombèrent sur la 



,, expidition obtained two iron arm-guards bought with one of the suits of armor, and evidently 

 „ used with it for protecting both arms. They are quite Japanese in pattern, with special hand- 

 ,, protectors which were held in place by small loops slung over the thumb and little finger. A 

 ,, greave made of thick skin was obtained with another suit of armor. My informants insisted 

 „ that usually only the left hand and the left leg were protected by these guards. 



,, The lance was used, together with the armor, as a weapon of defence. Thrusts were made 

 „ over the head-protector, as shown in Fig. 84, a. For attacks on the apponent the bow was 

 ,, used. On some of the head-protectors the marks of arrows shot at them in ceremonial or real 

 „ fights may still be traced. Both kinds of fighting are described in several tales, though the 

 „ the combattants are represented as displaying more agility than would seem consistent with 

 „ the armor. In other tales the action of the combatants is said to be slow and wary. They 

 „ cover their faces with the head-protector and discharge one arrow after another, which 

 ,, certainly agrees more nearly with the probable facts." 



