Arrow from Santa Cruz, Melanesia

Maria L · 30th November 2011, 01:02 AM

Hello,

I am a postgraduate Objects Conservation student currently working on this arrow from Santa Cruz. I am trying to gather more information on it (it isn't easy!), which will help me decide on any treatment options. If anyone here has come accross similar items and could share their knowledge regarding history, materials, manufacture, etc. it would be very much appreciated.

The arrow is 120.8cm long, and has a diameter of 1cm at its widest point. The shaft consists of two different types of wood: a hardwood (palm wood?) foreshaft, and bamboo/reed. The join between the two woods is bound with what I think is hardened gummed vegetable fibre. The arrowhead has two small barbs of what looks like bone, and originally would have had a bone tip, which has been snapped off. I'm guessing the arrowhead has been made by attaching the bone barbs and tip to the sharpened end of the foreshaft and wrapping it with the same gummed vegetable fibre. The foreshaft and arrowhead have been painted with a thick reddish-brown pigment. The reed shaft has a small nock.

So far, my research suggests that long, barbed arrows like this have been used for warfare, rather than hunting. However, a lot of the literature states that war arrows were often decorated, and mine is quite plain. If it is a war arrow, is it likely to have been poisoned? The pigment at the "business end" of the foreshaft appears gradually worn off (rather than just scratched, as is the case with the rest of the foreshaft), so perhaps poison has eaten into it. Curiously, there are also little tufts of branched moss or fungus-like material lodged behind the barbs. Is this something that would've been used to clean the arrowhead? I have also found tiny, spherical, transluscent insect egg casings behind the barbs and in the joints of the reed, which appear to be from the province of origin.

If you can think of any relevant literature I can have a look at, please let me know. I'm also trying to track down an article by David Skinner called Arrows of Melanesia: A Neglected Art Form, which was published in Tribal Art (Summer 2000), but is no longer availiable online or in any UK university libraries... I would be very grateful to anyone who has a copy and wouldn't mind sharing it.

Many thanks in advance,
Maria

Dom · 1st December 2011, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maria L

I am a postgraduate Objects Conservation student currently working on this arrow from Santa Cruz. I am trying to gather more information on it (it isn't easy!),

Hi Maria
I want to believe that it's not an easy subject

but, overall, allow me to welcome you, here

as we are very eclectic guys, might be some one
(not me, too, too far from my area of interest),
will have matter to exchange comments, bring; ideas, suggestions
sincerely I hope so, for you
we are a very friendly fraternity, and sure,
everybody according his capacities, gonna to help you

all the best

à +

Dom

Maria L · 2nd December 2011, 01:01 AM

Thanks, Dom! The forum certainly looks really interesting... Hopefully someone here can devulge the mysteries of the arrow

Edster · 2nd December 2011, 03:31 AM

Maria,

Welcome to the forum. I may be able to contribute a small bit to your understanding.

The arrow looks like the type used in Papua New Guinea. I was there for a few months a couple of years ago, and the unfletched arrows are still in common use. They are used for hunting small game, mainly birds and as a general weapon. In Port Morsby I met a man who was the night guard at a expat club who used bow and arrow as his arms. He mentioned one recent night that he had shot and wounded a man who was attempting a to hijack a car near the club. I'm sure his aim would have been fatal had he so chosen.A night shot just to wound at 50-m is impressive. He was of an ethnic group noted for their skill.

See this link for a recent news item.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10735245

This link is more ethnically related as to the various typesof arrow points.
http://www.art-pacific.com/artifacts...s/bowarrow.htm

There are several native art shops in Port Morsby where you can possible mail order other examples. Also the national museum there may be able to help.

The bow uses a flat piece of bark about 3/8 in. wide, I think, as a bow string to fit to the arrow that has no nock.

Good luck with your research.

Regards,
Ed

Tim Simmons · 2nd December 2011, 08:14 AM

Maria,

Your arrow does appear to be from Santa Cruz Islands. I think you will have great difficulty finding good enough pictures to work from in most available publications on the Solomon Islands. I have often asked at this forum about working with and finding organic materials for restoration projects like this, I fear most contributors here are METAL HEADS. These picture and the text from "Melanesia A Short Ethnolgraphy, British Museum" will help slightly, arrow "e". I think the only way to work on an object like this is to see a near as perfect example and better still get the chance to have it in your hands. The problems I see are getting the rattan like materials and in small quantities. Then is the material worked after soaking? you can experiment. You might have to get heavier materials and work them down. I needed to do some rescue work on an Amazon club. After reshearch I found all the correct materials were availabe in a local garden centre, the sisal needed soaking to take out the coils. If you are in the UK you coulld go to the Pit Rivers Museum Oxford where there will probably be arrows on display. The British Museum will have what you need but not on display. It is possible to arrange a visit to the store where samples will be layed out for your inspection. I do not know if this service is free or not. Lastly perhaps your arrow may have always been plain?

Maria L · 3rd December 2011, 01:02 AM

Ed and Tim, thank you very much for your contributions! I haven't been able to get in touch with the PNG Museum, but wrote to heritage organisations in Fiji and Vanuatu, so hopefully they may take an interest in this and put me in touch with the right person. I've also appealed for help at the BM and Pitt Rivers. Tim, thanks for posting this article, it has been most useful. The bit about Solomon Islands arrows with undercut barbs designed to snap off in the wound seems to fit, as the wood directly behind the barbs on my arrow has been carefully undercut, and they would snap off easily under the slightest pressure. Elsewhere on this forum I have seen some discussion about the practce of wrapping plant material around arrowheads to cause infection in the wound. Could this be the purpose of the moss-like fibres stuffed behind the barbs on mine?

30th November 2011, 01:02 AM	#1
Maria L Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 6	Arrow from Santa Cruz, Melanesia Hello, I am a postgraduate Objects Conservation student currently working on this arrow from Santa Cruz. I am trying to gather more information on it (it isn't easy!), which will help me decide on any treatment options. If anyone here has come accross similar items and could share their knowledge regarding history, materials, manufacture, etc. it would be very much appreciated. The arrow is 120.8cm long, and has a diameter of 1cm at its widest point. The shaft consists of two different types of wood: a hardwood (palm wood?) foreshaft, and bamboo/reed. The join between the two woods is bound with what I think is hardened gummed vegetable fibre. The arrowhead has two small barbs of what looks like bone, and originally would have had a bone tip, which has been snapped off. I'm guessing the arrowhead has been made by attaching the bone barbs and tip to the sharpened end of the foreshaft and wrapping it with the same gummed vegetable fibre. The foreshaft and arrowhead have been painted with a thick reddish-brown pigment. The reed shaft has a small nock. So far, my research suggests that long, barbed arrows like this have been used for warfare, rather than hunting. However, a lot of the literature states that war arrows were often decorated, and mine is quite plain. If it is a war arrow, is it likely to have been poisoned? The pigment at the "business end" of the foreshaft appears gradually worn off (rather than just scratched, as is the case with the rest of the foreshaft), so perhaps poison has eaten into it. Curiously, there are also little tufts of branched moss or fungus-like material lodged behind the barbs. Is this something that would've been used to clean the arrowhead? I have also found tiny, spherical, transluscent insect egg casings behind the barbs and in the joints of the reed, which appear to be from the province of origin. If you can think of any relevant literature I can have a look at, please let me know. I'm also trying to track down an article by David Skinner called Arrows of Melanesia: A Neglected Art Form, which was published in Tribal Art (Summer 2000), but is no longer availiable online or in any UK university libraries... I would be very grateful to anyone who has a copy and wouldn't mind sharing it. Many thanks in advance, Maria Attached Images

2nd December 2011, 08:14 AM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Maria, Your arrow does appear to be from Santa Cruz Islands. I think you will have great difficulty finding good enough pictures to work from in most available publications on the Solomon Islands. I have often asked at this forum about working with and finding organic materials for restoration projects like this, I fear most contributors here are METAL HEADS. These picture and the text from "Melanesia A Short Ethnolgraphy, British Museum" will help slightly, arrow "e". I think the only way to work on an object like this is to see a near as perfect example and better still get the chance to have it in your hands. The problems I see are getting the rattan like materials and in small quantities. Then is the material worked after soaking? you can experiment. You might have to get heavier materials and work them down. I needed to do some rescue work on an Amazon club. After reshearch I found all the correct materials were availabe in a local garden centre, the sisal needed soaking to take out the coils. If you are in the UK you coulld go to the Pit Rivers Museum Oxford where there will probably be arrows on display. The British Museum will have what you need but not on display. It is possible to arrange a visit to the store where samples will be layed out for your inspection. I do not know if this service is free or not. Lastly perhaps your arrow may have always been plain? Attached Images

2nd December 2011, 01:01 AM	#3
Maria L Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 6	Thanks, Dom! The forum certainly looks really interesting... Hopefully someone here can devulge the mysteries of the arrow

2nd December 2011, 03:31 AM	#4
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 408	Maria, Welcome to the forum. I may be able to contribute a small bit to your understanding. The arrow looks like the type used in Papua New Guinea. I was there for a few months a couple of years ago, and the unfletched arrows are still in common use. They are used for hunting small game, mainly birds and as a general weapon. In Port Morsby I met a man who was the night guard at a expat club who used bow and arrow as his arms. He mentioned one recent night that he had shot and wounded a man who was attempting a to hijack a car near the club. I'm sure his aim would have been fatal had he so chosen.A night shot just to wound at 50-m is impressive. He was of an ethnic group noted for their skill. See this link for a recent news item. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10735245 This link is more ethnically related as to the various typesof arrow points. http://www.art-pacific.com/artifacts...s/bowarrow.htm There are several native art shops in Port Morsby where you can possible mail order other examples. Also the national museum there may be able to help. The bow uses a flat piece of bark about 3/8 in. wide, I think, as a bow string to fit to the arrow that has no nock. Good luck with your research. Regards, Ed

3rd December 2011, 01:02 AM	#6
Maria L Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 6	Ed and Tim, thank you very much for your contributions! I haven't been able to get in touch with the PNG Museum, but wrote to heritage organisations in Fiji and Vanuatu, so hopefully they may take an interest in this and put me in touch with the right person. I've also appealed for help at the BM and Pitt Rivers. Tim, thanks for posting this article, it has been most useful. The bit about Solomon Islands arrows with undercut barbs designed to snap off in the wound seems to fit, as the wood directly behind the barbs on my arrow has been carefully undercut, and they would snap off easily under the slightest pressure. Elsewhere on this forum I have seen some discussion about the practce of wrapping plant material around arrowheads to cause infection in the wound. Could this be the purpose of the moss-like fibres stuffed behind the barbs on mine?