Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Blacktail on October 03, 2008, 09:15:25 pm
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o.k. i was wondering if any one knows of any books on oregon-california indian bows...i all ready have the bowyers bible but i am looking for some other ones and really cant find any thing else.so,would you know if there is any thing else.sorry for posting this here.i didnt know where to put it.thanks john
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John there are several good ones down at Barnes and Noble here in Bend. The Northern Piaute were prevalent in this area and thee are several books on this whole northern region. Can't remember the names of the books but take a run over here when you have an hour or two to look threw them.
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Hi, I believe that Steve Allely and Jim Hamm are working on the subject for the next volume of their Encyclopedia of Native American Bows, Arrows & Quivers. In the mean time I no of no other texts on the subject ( though there may be some for professional ethnologists.) Saxton Pope did a tabulation of bow performances back about 1920, that includes the dimensions of the tested bows. I've seen the table reprinted a couple of times. Making Indian Bows and Arrows by Douglas Spotted Eagle contains a reprint of that table with dimensions for bows a Yurok, and a Yana Bow. The making of west coast bows is also covered at least briefly by Mr. Spotted Eagle. Jim Hamm's Bows & Arrows of the Native Americans has one illustration of a West Coast Bow with rough dimensions and a page of designs from the backs of California bows. Hopefully others have more extensive sources. Ron
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Free info on this subject is hard to come by. Steve Allely is the only expert on the subject willing to freely share his knowledge, as far as I can tell. There are not that many artifacts in existence, so a lot of the info is going to be repetitive.
The latest bowyer's bible is the best source I've seen on the bows. There are other sources, but they are mainly pictures from museum exhibits. Here's a link to a site with photos:
http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/databases/north_public/north_public.htm (http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/databases/north_public/north_public.htm)
Type in "California" for the region and "bow" for the search in object name.
Bow, Arrows, & Quivers Of The American Frontier by John Baldwin has some good photos and brief descriptions.
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thanks guys for the info.keenan,i will have to do that some day....patrick thanks so much for the info its a great help.john
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Paul D. Campbell's Survival Skills of Native California (don't let the title fool ya) is a beautiful work with in-depth info (over 50 pages) on Californian bows & arrows. Highly recommended.
Tuukka
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thanks sumpitan,thats one of the books i am trying to get...i am glad you said that there is over 50 pages of bow stuff to look at...that is the info i was looking for.....thanks john