Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: berzerk64 on March 07, 2014, 03:59:58 pm
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Does anyone have knowledge or experience about arrows apache and/or Navajo would have built pre-European invasion?
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Check Archaeology Magazine online...I do believe I saw something about some found in a cache cave..Not sure when it was, just use the search feature..think it was last year, but not 100% certain..
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Will do, thanks. Headed up into northern AZ soon, hoping to be able to get my hands on some natural materials as would have been used.
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Nice. Have been acquiring some nice points from a guy in the CA desert. He gets his material from sites that the Natives were using from antiquity.You can feel the spirit of the obsidian when you haft these...You should see if similar sites are around the area you will be. Makes for a neat corelation to the ABO archers of days past.
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That's the idea. I love it here, and want to start putting together things that are in the native vein (making some white mtn apache mocassins as well). My GF is not thrilled at the prospect....but she's not usually thrilled when I cook hide glue in the kitchen, either, and hasn't bolted yet :).
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Both made shoot arrows and reed arrows. I think a nice set of phragmites shafts with hard wood fore shafts and nocks would fit the bill pretty well. Go to the AMNH site: research, anthropology and then collections. They have a lot of Apache arrows, and several Navaho as well. Curtis
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The Encyclopedia of Native American Bows Arrows and Quivers volume 2 has 3 pages of Navajo bows and arrows, 4 pages of Anasazi, and 7 pages of Apache. The Anasazi is dated to about 1150 A.D. Those are the only ones in the book pre-contact.
Patrick
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Hmm...New book to seek out..Thanks for the heads up
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I live in Northern Arizona. I know a lot of Navajo people (some prefer to be called Dine') and they've told me a bit about Navajo arrows. I have been told the preferred arrow wood is Mountain Mahogany shoots. The shafts were grooved either in straight lines or in a zigzag line. This represents lightning imparted to the arrow. Sometimes a point and a reverse triangle to represent fletching was added to the grooves. The crest was in front of the fletching and was four bands of red and black alternating. The one closest to the fletching, about 1/4" in front was red, then black, then red, then black, each about 1/2" in width. This is all word of mouth as handed down by their grandfathers and so forth.
Navajo people hang an arrow above the threshold of the front door to protect the house against evil entering. An arrowhead is often worn for protection as well. Certain color arrowheads are used in ceremonies. A traditional bracelet worn by men is called a Ketoh, which is basically an armguard. I have one I wear daily. By the way, the man who makes these is looking to make a trade for a longbow down the road.
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Here are a few examples for you to get a look at.
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Dharma - if you don't have something worked out on a trade with your source of info, let me know! I'd be happy to try working something out.
Tipi - excellent pics, thank you. I'm very visual/tactile, so seeing some examples helps!
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Hmm...New book to seek out..Thanks for the heads up
Dont do it! You will end up trying to make a copy of everything in the book. :)