Rectangular cross-sections with a stiff handles are relatively new inventions (1930:s?). Almost no primitive bows had this at least the ones I know, but semicircle or lenticular cross-section, narrowed AND working handle- Ishi style, sometimes tapering on belly and back.
Aksel,
while you are correct that lenticular etc. is more common, one of the earliest bows found in the Americas had a quite retangular crossection and a stffler handle.
third pic down, pamunkey bow on right
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,68908.msg967219.html#msg967219
willie, yes there are exceptions, but I wonder if those bow was made with metal tools? And if so, can it be called primitive? At least I have never seen a bow from European stone age with such a cross-section.
Askel,
I have started a new topic to see what other might have to add to our comments that are off topic in the other thread.
While the Native Americans are thought to have first come to the Americas between 15,000 to 30,000 years ago, what previously were assumed to be "arrowheads" are now seen as dart points, and evidence for bows and arrows is quite recent, some say as recent as 1500 years ago. Because of the proximity of the west coast of America to Asia, the bow and arrow is thought to have arrived from Asia.
There are quite a few bows with square cross sections associated with east coast Native Americans presented in
The Encyclopedia of Native American Bows, Arrows and Quivers by Steve Alleley and Jim Hamm.
Europeans arrived 500 to 1000 years ago on the east coast. When iron came to be traded and used extensively by Native Americans is an interesting question. While Europeans arrived in The Americas (not that long ago really), they encountered what is/was considered by many to be "primitive" or stone using cultures. How one defines "primitive", of course is a slightly different question.
