Bow and arrow, Negrito people Philippine?
 

Hi
Just purchased the following item at a car boot sale, no information from the seller except that is old?

I think it is an Negrito bow and arrow set from the Philippines but I cant find much about it.

Very dense black bow curved on one side and carved into two curves on the inside , cross section would look like a B (sort of) and arrow tips seem to be made of the same wood with bamboo for the shaft .

Nice rattan braiding on the ends of the bow but nothing in the middle

overall length 170 cm and arrows are various lengths but approx 1 M

cant find anything really about these so i may be way off with ID if so can you let me know what it is

Regards

Ken

Hi All
still no luck
However I did find this free download on ethnic archery
Quiet a good book

http://archery.lv/wp-content/uploads...al_Archery.pdf

also I may be leaning towards Papua New Guinea,now for the origin of my Bow

my arrow looks to be a match for the following description of one from Papua New Guinea,

The shafts are of reed, nockless, and rarely decorated

A common war arrow with plain, spindle-shaped head of palm wood; plant-fiber reinforcement. Arrow
is 121.5 cm long and 1.1 cm in diameter; head is 41.5 cm long.

thanks
Ken

Ken, the best reference I have found on Negrito weapons is by Fox and was published shortly after WWII. I uploaded a couple of PDF files with Fox's research here.

Another useful publication that can be found here online is Negritos of Zambales, by William Allan Reed published in 1904--the plates are reproduced in reasonable size and those showing Negrito bows I have copied and posted below.

For several reasons, I am doubtful that the bows and arrows that you show are Negrito. The bows are usually very long (and stand much taller than the Negritos themselves). The arrows are also long and usually tipped with iron. And all examples of Negrito arrows that I have seen were fletched with bird feathers.

Hope this helps.

Ian.

.

Thanks Ian =for the images
Yes I agree I am now leaning towards Papua New Guinea as opposed to Philippine Islands
Ken

It looks like the set up a security guard at a club in Port Moresby, PNG had (2010). He said he had used it previously to shoot a carjacker up the street. The target point looked to be about 50 or so yards away. Interesting he was armed this way, but firearms are discouraged there.

Regards,
Ed