32 BULLETIN 137^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



IS of palmwood in both the wrapped bow and in the unwrapped, 

 and as the stave is usually formed in the same manner — convexly 

 rounded in section toAvard the outer or front side and flat or con- 

 cave on the inner side — it appears that the wrapping is purely 

 ornamental and is not a survival of an older type of Asiatic com- 

 posite bow with its layers of reinforcement. The bow is always 

 held vertically by the Negritos and by the Malayan bowmen. The 

 bow stave is usually longer than the height of the archer. This 

 applies also to the Moro and to those nationalities that have adopted 

 the use of the horse. In their case the introduction of horses did 

 not lead to the shortening of the bow, wliereb}'^ it could be used to 

 advantage in hunting from horseback as was the case with the North 

 American Indian. This does not imply that the Filipino bow did 

 not gradually assume specialized functions, but specialization in 

 Filipino weapon production reached its greatest extent in the manu- 

 facture of metallic hand weapons for cutting and slashing. In this 

 one may see environmental factors, the forest and the tropical 

 climate, operative. The bow, however, remained relatively quite 

 crude and obsolescent except among the primitive Negrito tribes, 

 whos'e livelihood depends upon the skillful use of this weapon upon 

 which their best efforts and greatest skill are lavished. 



Parts to be considered in the Philippine bow are the bow stave, 

 bow cord, method of fastening, reinforcement or wrapping of stave, 

 its shape and surface finish, and the position of the cord. The 

 materials employed, the functions, method of arrow release, antiq- 

 uity, distribution, and variation in type are factors that are of 

 interest and valuable in a description and classification of types. 



Arrows of the various Filipino peoples differ in the following 

 respects: In the shape and size of the various component parts, 

 in the materials, in the parts making up the shaftment, in the 

 feathering, in the employment or nonemployment of arrow poisons, 

 and, finally, in the functions and use to which the missile is put. 

 Peoples showing greatest ingenuity in arrow production are the 

 Negrito and the Moro; the former chiefly in the variety of types 

 and in the presence of iron points, while the Negrito excels chiefly 

 in the effectiveness of the few types that he produces and in the 

 use of poisons. The Moro polish their arrow and bow shafts ex- 

 cessively and devote much time to this work. The wood for the 

 bow stave is chosen for its uniformity, and is selected for its straight 

 grain and its toughness. Wood from the heart is selected and is 

 shaped according to the kind of service to which the weapon is to 

 be put. For war, the bows and arrows are larger than for hunt- 

 ing and for target practice. The use of coconut oil for polishing 

 is general among the Moro. The shaft is rubbed with skin and 



