Northern Paiute bows

[rileyconcrete]

I live in southern Idaho, and have been working in the Owyhee highdesert which is fairly close to where I live.  There are signs of indians all over this area.  We have found numerous arrowheads around a spring, and also found an area on a long flat ridge where I believe they camped due to all the chips and just the overall feeling while standing there. 

I know the Indians in this area were a band of the northern paiutes, and I was wondering if anyone has any information on these people, and most importantly any pictures or description of the bows and also the arrows they used.  I know they used the juniper for the bows and I now have some of that worked down waiting for this info to make a replica.

Any information or pictures I would love to see.  I know there has to be someone out there that knows how these bows looked.  For some reason all the internet searching I have been doing has turned up no pictures, and very little written info of such bows.

thanks again

Tell

[ErictheViking]

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=paiute+indians&rlz=1R2GGLL_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=hqLETOXqPIK6sAOr94n6Cw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDkQsAQwAw just googled paiute and came up with this. Easier to get info on tribes from the west due to later interaction. I would however make sure the site issuing the image is trustworthy.  Eric

[Keenan]

Tell, I live over in Bend, I've been doing some research as well on the subject. I have met a gal down by Crater lake that is a native from this area. She has a few bows that were passed down from her grand father. One is a youth and one adult bow. Both were short flat bow design with fairly wide thinner limbs, backed with sinew. The arrows were all dart tipped,even the kid arrows and both had smaller dime to quarter size points.  I asked about going back down there with my camera to get some pics and she said that would be fine, but haven't made it back down there.

[rileyconcrete]

Keenan, Those would be neat to see.  I can not seem to find very much info on these types of bows.  I know you have used juniper alot, I may need some pointers later when I start on my staves.  Have you ever tried the mtn. Mahogany?  heard it may be good for these type bows.  I have some private land that i can get as much juniper and mahogany as I want.

Tell

[Keenan]

 Tell, Mountain mahogany makes a good bow. Very tough hard wood, the heart wood is somewhat brittle so leave a little sapwood on. If you get over this way give me a call and maybe we can drive down together and look over the bows.  I just went on the link that Erick gave and on page three there is a pic of some warriors drawing a bow. Neat pic that I may try to order. All the bows that I'm seeing in the pics look narrower then the ones that I saw. The ones that the gal has are almost a paddle bow in style.

[Traxx]

I dont think there was any Definite style Of Piaute bow.Ive seen them,as wide flatbows like the Neighbor Ca peoples bows as well as Narrower Recurved styled bows of the Miwok.I have also seen em styled more like the double curved bows of the Plains style.The Duck Valley people are Piaute/Shoshone,so their bows most likely were influenced a lot by the Shoshone people and that northern platue culture.Ive seen a pic of Numaga,from the Pyramid lake people here,with bows much like the Maidu and Pit River people used.

[loefflerchuck]

Traxx is right, but the Paiute as a whole ranged from California, Nevada, Utah, North Arizona, Idaho and Oregon, If they interacted then they probably spread out the best of there technology, Seems like all bands had recurved bows, Juniper was used by all bands, The Western Mono made hook nocked nearly identical to the Miwok. Using juniper instead of cedar. I have seen Fine examples of bows from every area the Paiute lived. A mastery of sinew and wood design. Here is a northern Paiute bow
 

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[loefflerchuck]

From the Peabody museum

[Traxx]

Talked with a friend of mine last night.He spends time among the Duck valley people.He said he saw 1 old bow from the area.Said it was much like the previous pic.A narrower bow of 1.1/4 with staight taper.Setback at the grip and a slight follow in the lims.Sinew backed of course.The wood,he wasnt shure about because of the age,but that it wasnt Juniper.One,in the State museum here in Carson city,is narrow sinewbacked and slightly recurved.Cant tell of the wood either.This bow is braced backwards and im sick of tellin em so.

[rileyconcrete]

Thanks for the Info TRaxx.  I know a few people from Duck Valley also, one who is a lady that is apache but grew up with the Duck Valley people, and she said she has never seen a bow from down there.  Guess I will have to have her ask around.

Thanks Loefflerchuck.  Do you have the dimensions of that bow?  I have searched and cant find any dimensions or pictures of these bows.  I have one marked out on a juniper limb that is 48" by 2" wide, and will be recurved with maybe bent tab knocks? we will see.

Tell

[half eye]

Hey Tell,
     Found these pics squirreled away so here are the few that I had, hope it helps:
1-2 are Southern Paiute
3-4 Northern Paiute
5....a young hunter that was from where the two cultures met....shirt is Northern, hat is Southern so I dont know how they ascribed it.
6. Not a Paiute, he's Piegan (grizzly Bear Clan) These bows were supposed to be similiar to the Paiute (?)

In photo #2 you actually see that the fellas have 2 types of bows. Hope they help some.
rich

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[rileyconcrete]

Thanks Rich.

I was hoping you would chime in, I knew you probably had some pictures somewhere.  I guess I am probably not to far off with the design I have drawn up.  i have lots of juniper to play with so I guess I can do alot of practice.  thanks for spending the time to help me out.

tell