Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: ionicmuffin on July 29, 2013, 12:35:04 am

Title: Native American Bows.
Post by: ionicmuffin on July 29, 2013, 12:35:04 am

Here are some Native bows that I saw in the Cody museum while I am traveling to college. I must admit, they didn't have to make it look pretty to kill bison, and on top of that the arrows that they used were only 20-22" One is not backed and the other is sinew backed with snakeskin and cherrybark wrappings.

Title: Re: Native American Bows.
Post by: ionicmuffin on July 29, 2013, 12:36:12 am

Few more.

Title: Re: Native American Bows.
Post by: Ifrit617 on July 29, 2013, 12:40:56 am

I've seen those exact bows in the same museum. Probably one of the coolest museums i've ever seen.


Jon

Title: Re: Native American Bows.
Post by: ionicmuffin on July 29, 2013, 12:45:07 am

I know right!? It tells you a whole lot about what they found useful in a bow, obviously super rounded edges were not important and they knew that a short bow of about 3-4 ft and a thickness of 3/8" would be sufficient to kill bison.

Title: Re: Native American Bows.
Post by: Joec123able on July 29, 2013, 01:00:17 am

Wow really cool stuff I like those Gull wing bows they look neat

Title: Re: Native American Bows.
Post by: ionicmuffin on July 29, 2013, 01:22:26 am

Yeah I have to agree, in fact the first place I went to find was the weapons, really liked finding the bows!

Title: Re: Native American Bows.
Post by: loefflerchuck on August 03, 2013, 01:22:56 am

Thanks for the pics. Looks like an antler bow and one little sheep horn bow in there. That's the 5th snakeskin backed bow I have seen in museums. Seems they were quite common on the northern plains and great basin. specially up north. I have heard religion kept the Sioux and some other plains tribes from using snake, but seems a few tribes used snake often

Title: Re: Native American Bows.
Post by: BL on August 03, 2013, 03:16:35 am

It's amazing to me how much those gullwing bows look like an inverted, heavy R/D.  I wonder if anybody has tried replicating one backwards.

Title: Re: Native American Bows.
Post by: Traxx on August 04, 2013, 02:17:29 am

BL,
Those bows are R/D.
What you are referring to are D/R.
I have seen bows made the opposite direction purposefully.