Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: JEB on April 20, 2014, 02:11:13 pm
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What are some of the materials that Native Americans used to make arrows and atlatl darts from?
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Depends on where they lived. Around here, cane was probably their first choice.
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Around here, I believe it would have been wild rose shoots and willow.
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Just trying to get an idea of what was used everywhere in the U.S. No particular area.
Thanks for the info.
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Down here probably cane and sourwood shoots. Maybe silky dogwood but I don't care for it. Definitely red osier dogwood where it grows and other dogwoods where they grow. Arrowwood viburnum and other viburnums where they grow.
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Jim Hamm's book: 'Bows and Arrows of the Native Americans' is a great resource.
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Page 92 of Jim's book has a complete list of arrow types, materials, and lengths from west to east coast.
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I'm wondering if I could scan this, or take a pic...
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Here's a pic of that page... hopefully you can see it.
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The red osier is a type of dogwood, different from the dogwood that Hamm has listed for the Southern Plains. The Southern Plains type is rough-leaf dogwood. Both are in the genus Cornus, but they are different species. Curtis
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I do not see river cane on his list anywhere....
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We have been asked to set up at the Old fashion Days next Thursday and show our artifacts that we have found over the years. I am also going to show a self bow and stave and a few arrows with stone heads that I made.
I only need the arrow info to put on a placard to show what other types of woods are used when making arrows.
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I do not see river cane on his list anywhere....
Very bottom, East Coast, REED. ? or is that phragmities?
Split hickory too, huh?
dp
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River cane, switch cane are indigenous to the east coast and hill cane in the mountains. River cane in some areas of the mountains too. I don't think Phragmites in indigenous to the S. E. US.
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River cane, switch cane are indigenous to the east coast and hill cane in the mountains. River cane in some areas of the mountains too. I don't think Phragmites in indigenous to the S. E. US.
So Pat, when he says "REED" do you think he means cane? dp
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I think the word "reed" is a generic term for reed grass and cane.
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Anybody know what was used in Central and south Florida? I've only seen river cane growing in north Florida. You very seldom see Dogwood shoots, in the deep oak hammocks you can find hickory shoots sometime.
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I figure in south Florida they just used fishing poles and clubbed gators... >:D
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Eddie, I was joking of course but it got me to wondering. Does anyone find native points in south Florida? I do not think I have ever seen one, nor heard of any being found.
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Mullet, good question, I'm going to be down there in a few weeks and I'm curious too. I wonder if the Thompsons make mention of arrow wood in their book?
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The Thompsons do, they describe in detail making thousands of cane arrows while living in Georgia before their hunting trip on the St. Johns River. The St. Johns flows north out of Jaxsonville which might as well be Ga. There is cane up there, as well as on the upper Suwannee.
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Eddie, I was joking of course but it got me to wondering. Does anyone find native points in south Florida? I do not think I have ever seen one, nor heard of any being found.
Lots of native points here in Florida. ;) Just ask Mullet. :) I also believe that they command the highest collector prices. ;)
Wayne
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I'd bet they made hardwood shafts from shrub stuff. Myrsine makes a good shaft...stuff like beautyberry, sparkleberry? I don't know of any clear examples of Calusa archery artifacts but they killed Desoto with an arrow. I often wonder what they used and why there aren't some examples of stone heads. They would have made it up to coral territory.
I was talking to a guy that said he found a stone point in the 10,000 Islands. I'm highly skeptical. Anything is possible, though...
It is a mystery to me!
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Stone heads were ineffective on the chain mail the Spaniards wore but a naked cane shaft would divide into multiple slinters as it went through the mail. Pretty devistating
Sparkleberry and yaupon(both hollies) make good arrows and both are indigenous to Florida.
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The Calusas didn't kill De Soto. He was killed in Ga. or Mississippee from infection from a cane arrow that splintered on his chain mail. His soldiers dumped him in the Mississippee River as they escaped to Mexico.
nclonghunter, yes there are arrow points and atlatl points in Florida. Some of the best examples including one my friend has called "Big Red", transluscent, red, coral is appraised at 20 to 30 thousand right now. I found one in the Peace river a few years ago that is in a book called the Best Of The South listed for $2400.
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The Calusas didn't kill De Soto. He was killed in Ga. or Mississippee from infection from a cane arrow that splintered on his chain mail. His soldiers dumped him in the Mississippee River as they escaped to Mexico.
nclonghunter, yes there are arrow points and atlatl points in Florida. Some of the best examples including one my friend has called "Big Red", transluscent, red, coral is appraised at 20 to 30 thousand right now. I found one in the Peace river a few years ago that is in a book called the Best Of The South listed for $2400.
Your right Eddie, Ponce De Leon was supposedly got hit...is that who I'm thinking of?
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It was Ponce de Leon. He was hit in the thigh with a Caloosa arrow dipped in sap from the manchineel tree in 1521. He became very sick and died shortly after that in Cuba.
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I live in SW Florida in Fort Myers and I have found at least 3 totally different species of river cane in my city
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also I would just like to add that I am NOT trying to sound like a know it all but I grew up on Pine Island at the foot of a ceremonial Calusa Indian Hill while living there for the majority of my life I learned a lot about this tribe I recently built a black man Grove bo backed with cow leg tendon they did not find any bow but they did find Atlatl s and one arrow was found made from red mangrove with a bull shark tooth as an arrow head . There is a lot of river cane growing wild around here the stuff in the water (edges of ditches) is weak be selective find the strong patches on dry land. Cape coral has a nice few patches I have found I recently made a few Cherokee four holed flutes from some of my cane . I have a ton of cane if u want some . Also I recommend buying the native arrows and points DVD from thad beckum at WWW.beckumoutdoors.com I have learned soooooo much from this 19$ two hours of awsomeness the guy is totally primitive and is very in debt. I hope I was help full. ( also look up beckum out doors on YouTube)
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Is it River cane or bamboo? Different varieties of bamboo grows all over South Florida and it is not native.