Bow arrow quiver from Banda Neira, Moluccas

[Sajen]

Hello dear members,

I have won recently a bow arrow quiver from Banda Neira by a German auction house. Of course I was jarred that the auction house stated that it is exactly from there so I contacted them and asked them from where they know this. They told me that the consignor stated this, he is the son from the collector. He stated that his father should have collected it before 1930.
The quiver is approx. 96 cm long and worked from rotan or similar material and was once covered complete with thin leather, the foot is covered with a brass sheet tube. Five arrows are still present.
The Banda islands are small Molucca islands once famous for their spicery, see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banda_Islands.
All comments are very welcome!

[Sajen]

And here the pictures from the arrows.

[Sajen]

Nearly 500 views in not one day and not one comment?

[drac2k]

I certainly enjoyed seeing the quiver and arrows; are the different arrowheads for different applications. Did they use a longbow or a shorter one made out of compound materials?
I do need to thank you for introducing me to the rich and troubled history of the Molucca Islands, of which I had been ignorant of until your post.

[Ian]

Hi Detlef,

Thanks for showing these items. The quiver is most interesting. It is an excellent piece of rattan weaving covered, I assume, with the skin of some animal to provide a degree of waterproofing and protection. The arrows are all in good shape. As with other cultures, I think we can assume that the different types of arrowheads reflected different purposes, as alluded to by drac2k.

Ian

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by drac2k

I certainly enjoyed seeing the quiver and arrows; are the different arrowheads for different applications. Did they use a longbow or a shorter one made out of compound materials?
I do need to thank you for introducing me to the rich and troubled history of the Molucca Islands, of which I had been ignorant of until your post.

Hello Drac2k,

I am sure that the different arrowheads for different applications but can't tell you something detailed. And I never have seen a bow from somewhere in the Moluccas but I assume that it's a longbow when a arrow is 86 cm long.

My wife coming from the Moluccas so I have a great affinity to Molucca artefacts. The Moluccas has a long colonial history owing the many spices like nutmeg and clove.

Attached is a bigger picture from the Banda islands to show where they are located.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ian

Thanks for showing these items. The quiver is most interesting. It is an excellent piece of rattan weaving covered, I assume, with the skin of some animal to provide a degree of waterproofing and protection. The arrows are all in good shape. As with other cultures, I think we can assume that the different types of arrowheads reflected different purposes, as alluded to by drac2k.

Hi Ian,

I agree in all points with you.

BTW, I've found only one similar example by online search but this one is for sale so no link or picture from it, sadly.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Here the original description from the auction house:

Arrow quiver (Banda Neira, Indonesia, before 1930), wood / leather, w. Cap, w. 4
arrows, length approx. 98 cm. Orig. Frame, leather covering in the upper part and the cap damaged.