632 NORTH AMERICAN BOWS, ARROWS, AND QUIVERS. 



However, each of the ebief types of savai;ei'y possesses in some form 

 the three great chisses of bruising, shisliing, and piercing weapons. 

 For instance, the Polynesians had tlie chil), the spear, and the shark's- 

 teeth sword. The Africans fought witli icnobsticks, assegais, bows 

 and arrows, and edge weapons in great variety. Tlie Americans, 

 especially the iNIexicans. developed a sword with obsidian edge and the 

 tomahawk. 



The further subdivision of tliese three classes of weapons is based 

 upon their manipulation. Every weapon and every tool consists of 

 two parts — the working part and the manual or operative part, — that 

 which wounds or kills and that by which it is held or worked. Indeed, 

 the fact is sometimes overlooked that the manual or operative i)art of 

 a tool or weai)on has undergone greater changes in the course of his- 

 tory than the working part. The bow therefore must be studied (juite 

 as carefully as the arrow. 



In the rudest form of tool or \vea])on a single piece of stone or 

 wood serves both purposes, but e\en in this simple form one part tits 

 the hand better and the other is more adapted to the work. A stone 

 used for bruising generally has one end better htted to the hand and the 

 other shaped by nature to effect the purpose. The stick used as a spear, 

 or a club, or a sword, even in savagery, has the dift'erentiation of hold- 

 ing end and working end. 



This study of the manual end of a weapon gives rise to the classiti- 

 cation of Adrien de Mortillet into weapons held and used in the hand, 

 weapons thrown from the hand, and weapons worked by some interme- 

 diary apparatus between the hand and the working part. 



Ballistic weapons of America are bolas, throwing sticks or sling- 

 boards with their varied darts, slings and stones, blow-tubes and darts, 

 and bows and arrows. Some tribes are said to throw the tomahawk 

 with good effect. Each of these involves mechanical i)rinciples worthy 

 of the most careful study. 



In this paper attention will be ccmfined to the types of bows, arrows, 

 and quivers of the North American aborigines, with incidental references 

 to similar forms found el>iewhere. It is true that the tribes included 

 within this area developed the greatest variety of forms of primitive 

 bows and arrows. The built up bows of Asia, studied and described 

 by Mr. Balfour,* are of a higher order of invention and net'd oidy be 

 mentioned. 



Mexican bows, arrows, and shields have been carefully described by 

 Mr. Adolf Bandelier. The South American area has been little inves- 

 tigated, but the North American Indian archery aftbrds an excellent 

 oi)portunity for the consideration of all the forces and devices which 

 entered into human inventions as motives. 



The geographic distribution of materials foi. weapons and of game 



Hfury lialloiir, .Jour. Anihrop. Iiisl., Loiuloii, io\. XIX. 



