Accession No
1923.102 A-E
Description
Quiver; Arrows - A: Bamboo quiver for fighting and hunting
B: 6 fighting arrows. Shafts of reed, a hardwood intermediate shaft (3 of mahogany, 2 coconut wood, and one lighter wood), the bone head being reported to be of flying fox. This appears doubtful though some measure five ft across the wings. Pig, man or dog more likely. Not intentionally poisoned but often being stuck in palm leaf mats forming roof of house, they become infected as cases of tetanus are known to emit from wounds inflicted by them.
C: 3 hunting or bird arrows, made of usual reed shafts, with points of various hardwoods, coconut, mahogany and yellow wood.
D: Two bird arrows made of the middle rib of a sago leaf frond. A small piece of the leaf is left to act as feather, although feather arrows are unknown here. The extreme lightness of the material probably lead to this development. The serrated barb is always found on this class of arrow.
E: 2 fighting arrows. Poisoned. They are made much like the other arrows for fighting, but the reed shaft is longer and the middle piece of hardwood, usually the [?] of coconut is much shorter. The head of human bone is also short and is poisoned by smearing the piece of bone with the gum of a creeper, said to be an irritant poison, and then putting it into decomposing human flesh. The unclean conditions in which the arrows are kept may add considerably to their poisonous properties. Tetanus and death in 48 hours usually results if a bone is poisoned by the tip which then breaks off and remains embedded. If however a flesh wound only occurs it is seldom fatal. The sinnet pigment on the middle of the shaft is rubbed on to distinguish the poisoned arrows from the harmless ones. 1923.92 is the material rubbed on. The lashings are of the usual native sinnet of coconut fibre, and of thin strips of either pandanus or banana leaf. The tip of the arrow is frequently kept enclosed in a small piece of reed sheathing to prevent injury to the owner through careless or [?] handling as in this specimen has shown.
Place
Oceania; Melanesia; A-C : Torres Islands : Oceania; Vanuatu [New Hebrides]; D : Maewo Island : Oceania; E : Raga
Period
Source
Edgell, William Henry (Rev.) [collector]; Edgell (Miss) [donor]
Department
Anth
Reference Numbers
1923.102 A-E
Cultural Affliation
Material
Wood; Cane; Bone; ?Human Bone; Leaf
Local Term
Measurements
Events
Context (CMS Context)
Old labels attached to catalogue card.
Event Date 1/6/1996
Author: maa
Description (CMS Description)
A: Bamboo quiver for fighting and hunting
B: 6 fighting arrows. Shafts of reed, a hardwood intermediate shaft (3 of mahogany, 2 coconut wood, and one lighter wood), the bone head being reported to be of flying fox. This appears doubtful though some measure five ft across the wings. Pig, man or dog more likely. Not intentionally poisoned but often being stuck in palm leaf mats forming roof of house, they become infected as cases of tetanus are known to emit from wounds inflicted by them.
C: 3 hunting or bird arrows, made of usual reed shafts, with points of various hardwoods, coconut, mahogany and yellow wood.
D: Two bird arrows made of the middle rib of a sago leaf frond. A small piece of the leaf is left to act as feather, although feather arrows are unknown here. The extreme lightness of the material probably lead to this development. The serrated barb is always found on this class of arrow.
E: 2 fighting arrows. Poisoned. They are made much like the other arrows for fighting, but the reed shaft is longer and the middle piece of hardwood, usually the [?] of coconut is much shorter. The head of human bone is also short and is poisoned by smearing the piece of bone with the gum of a creeper, said to be an irritant poison, and then putting it into decomposing human flesh. The unclean conditions in which the arrows are kept may add considerably to their poisonous properties. Tetanus and death in 48 hours usually results if a bone is poisoned by the tip which then breaks off and remains embedded. If however a flesh wound only occurs it is seldom fatal. The sinnet pigment on the middle of the shaft is rubbed on to distinguish the poisoned arrows from the harmless ones. 1923.92 is the material rubbed on. The lashings are of the usual native sinnet of coconut fibre, and of thin strips of either pandanus or banana leaf. The tip of the arrow is frequently kept enclosed in a small piece of reed sheathing to prevent injury to the owner through careless or [?] handling as in this specimen has shown.
Event Date 1/6/1996
Author: maa
FM:103672
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