Ethnological results of the Point Barrow expedition: Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1887-1888, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1892, pages 3-442Murdoch, John
History
Ethnological results of the Point Barrow expedition: Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1887-1888, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1892, pages 3-442
Murdoch, John
Eskimos -- Alaska -- Barrow, Point, Region
It is probable that the form of the bow case and quiver varied but
little, among the American Eskimo at least. Those figured by Capt.
Lyon[N311] are almost exactly like the ones we collected at Point
Barrow, even to the crimped cap on the bottom of the quiver. A similar
set belong with a lad’s bow in the Museum from Point Hope (No. 63611).
Nordenskiöld, however, figures a very elaborate flat quiver[N312], in
use at Pitlekaj, which is evidently of genuine Asiatic origin.
[Footnote N311: Parry’s 2d Voyage, Pl. opposite p. 550, Fig. 24.]
[Footnote N312: Vega, vol. 2, p. 106.]
[Illustration: FIG. 192.--Cap for quiver rod.]
Some pains seem to have been bestowed on ornamenting the quiver in
former times, when the bow was in more general use. Fig. 191, No.
56505 [231], from Nuwŭk, represents what we understood had been a
stiffening rod for a quiver or bow case. It is of reindeer antler, 17
inches long, and one end is very neatly carved into the head and
shoulders of a reindeer, with small, blue glass beads inserted for the
eyes. The lanceolate point at the tip was probably made with an idea
of improving it for sale. The hole at the back of the neck is for a
thong to fasten it on with. A similar reindeer head of antler, Fig.
192, No. 89449 [1066], also from Nuwŭk, seems to have been a cap for a
quiver stick. The back of the neck makes a half-ferrule, in which are
three holes for rivets or treenails.
_Bracers._--In shooting the bow, the wrist of the bow hand was
protected from being chafed by the bowstring by a small shield or
“bracer” of bone or horn, strapped on with a thong. We never saw these
in use, as the bow is so seldom employed except by the children. Two
of these, newly made, were offered for sale. I will describe one of
these, No. 89410_b_ [1233], Fig. 193.
[Illustration: FIG. 193.--Bracer.]
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