African Poison arrows and quiver

Jim McDougall · 29th January 2008, 06:22 PM

Thanks very much for responding guys!
Tim, that really is an interesting reference, and I only have photocopies of it. Its been a while since I've seen it, but the material I think has some detail on the arrows. I'm surprised you found it and good move on snagging it!

As I mentioned, I'm not all that familiar with arrows, especially not African and poisoned types, but I've really enjoyed learning in this research. I did see some arrows shown that were similar from Tanzania, and curiously there seemed differentiation with the single downward barb being termed 'male' and the full arrowhead form with of course symmetrical downward barbs being termed 'female'. These head shapes remind me a lot of harpoons, which came up in some interesting research from a number of months ago ( saw "Moby Dick" and my usual curiosity went into overdrive!).

I havent been able to find a reference that provides any comprehensive material on arrowhead typology in African weapons, mostly just bits here and there addressing weapons of specific tribes and regions. I was wondering if any of the references you often cite here might have such detail.

Fearn, absolutely great 'tidbits'! and these really add interesting dimension to this look into these weapons. I always find it fascinating to discover that in many cases the etymology of terms referring to certain weapons often include the names or derivatives of the botanical species used in the components. This is a great addition to notes on that subject. Others I can think of offhand are the 'assegai' which I think has to do with the wood of the shaft, the 'dudgeon dagger' in Scotland with dudgeon being a term for the boxwood used in the hilt. There are quite a few others I believe and that would make for an excellent thread topic.

The Bowyers Bible reference sounds like an oustanding source for in depth study on archery and it seems it came up a couple of times in the reading I did for this.

I haven't seen "The Gods Must be Crazy" but sounds pretty funny, was that a Mel Brooks film?

Thanks again for joining in with me! To me researching weapons is great adventure, and its a lot more fun with company!

All very best regards,
Jim

Kirsten · 29th January 2008, 08:00 PM

Thanks for all your input, it is much appreciated, and I am pleased that I have sparked a lively topic.
I have to agree that I also considered the quiver and arrows to be from Sudan. There are similar examples in the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford England,
which were obtained by John Petherick in the Sudan in 1858 and shipped back to England in 1859.

I am an MA student at Lincoln University(UK) and have just been given this object to work on and conserve. So I am doing some research on it and trying to find out as much about it as possible.
So all input is very much appreciated.
Kirsten Strachan

Norman McCormick · 29th January 2008, 08:30 PM

Hello,
Apparently poison was still being used in Europe, specifically Spain, in the 16th and early 17th centuries when hunting game. Ralph Payne-Gallwey in his Book of the Crossbow cites examples from a work on field sports in Spain written by Alonzo Martinez Del Espinar, 1644. The poison in question is made from the root of the White Hellebore, I've actually got some of this stuff growing in the garden !!!!, which should be washed, pounded and pressed to extract the juice which then has to be strained, boiled and reduced to a viscous syrup. To test the poison you get a needle and thread, pass the thread through the poison syrup then pierce the foot of a chicken with the needle until it bleeds then draw the thread through the foot. In the time of saying 'Credo' the bird will nod and in a short time die. This poison seems to have been pretty strong as it was used to kill amongst other beasts, full grown stags. It was known as the 'Crossbowman's herb' and was smeared on the arrow shaft from the point downwards for five or six finger breadths then a strip of thin linen was wound around the poisoned part to which it adhered without the need for glue, there doesn't seem to be an explanation for the linen wrap but I suspect it was to either protect the bowman from the poison or the poison from being deposited in places it shouldn't be until use.
Regards,
Norman.

Jim McDougall · 29th January 2008, 10:42 PM

This has indeed proven a lively topic Kirsten, and hope the notes posted here will provide useful data to add to the research you are doing. I would really like to hear more as your project develops, and you are fortunate if you have access to the valuable resources at Pitt-Rivers.

I wonder if the clay like substance on the shaft might have been intended as an absorbant to hold the poison?

Norman, thank you for the information on European use of poison in hunting. It does seem that Spain held on to weapons and traditions much longer than most European countries, and it seems even used plug bayonets well into the 19th century. The suggestion of the use of poison in European swords and daggers has always intrigued me, and I've often wondered just how much of it was true and how much was simply hyperbole.

The wrapping of the segment of shaft holding the poison seems like a very plausible way to prevent accidental removal or inadvertant self poisoning as you suggest. It seems like one of the Tanzanian poison arrows I saw in one of the references was wrapped with something in this manner.

All best regards,
Jim

29th January 2008, 06:22 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,200	Thanks very much for responding guys! Tim, that really is an interesting reference, and I only have photocopies of it. Its been a while since I've seen it, but the material I think has some detail on the arrows. I'm surprised you found it and good move on snagging it! As I mentioned, I'm not all that familiar with arrows, especially not African and poisoned types, but I've really enjoyed learning in this research. I did see some arrows shown that were similar from Tanzania, and curiously there seemed differentiation with the single downward barb being termed 'male' and the full arrowhead form with of course symmetrical downward barbs being termed 'female'. These head shapes remind me a lot of harpoons, which came up in some interesting research from a number of months ago ( saw "Moby Dick" and my usual curiosity went into overdrive!). I havent been able to find a reference that provides any comprehensive material on arrowhead typology in African weapons, mostly just bits here and there addressing weapons of specific tribes and regions. I was wondering if any of the references you often cite here might have such detail. Fearn, absolutely great 'tidbits'! and these really add interesting dimension to this look into these weapons. I always find it fascinating to discover that in many cases the etymology of terms referring to certain weapons often include the names or derivatives of the botanical species used in the components. This is a great addition to notes on that subject. Others I can think of offhand are the 'assegai' which I think has to do with the wood of the shaft, the 'dudgeon dagger' in Scotland with dudgeon being a term for the boxwood used in the hilt. There are quite a few others I believe and that would make for an excellent thread topic. The Bowyers Bible reference sounds like an oustanding source for in depth study on archery and it seems it came up a couple of times in the reading I did for this. I haven't seen "The Gods Must be Crazy" but sounds pretty funny, was that a Mel Brooks film? Thanks again for joining in with me! To me researching weapons is great adventure, and its a lot more fun with company! All very best regards, Jim

29th January 2008, 08:00 PM	#2
Kirsten Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2	Thanks for all your input, it is much appreciated, and I am pleased that I have sparked a lively topic. I have to agree that I also considered the quiver and arrows to be from Sudan. There are similar examples in the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford England, which were obtained by John Petherick in the Sudan in 1858 and shipped back to England in 1859. I am an MA student at Lincoln University(UK) and have just been given this object to work on and conserve. So I am doing some research on it and trying to find out as much about it as possible. So all input is very much appreciated. Kirsten Strachan

29th January 2008, 08:30 PM	#3
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,613	Hello, Apparently poison was still being used in Europe, specifically Spain, in the 16th and early 17th centuries when hunting game. Ralph Payne-Gallwey in his Book of the Crossbow cites examples from a work on field sports in Spain written by Alonzo Martinez Del Espinar, 1644. The poison in question is made from the root of the White Hellebore, I've actually got some of this stuff growing in the garden !!!!, which should be washed, pounded and pressed to extract the juice which then has to be strained, boiled and reduced to a viscous syrup. To test the poison you get a needle and thread, pass the thread through the poison syrup then pierce the foot of a chicken with the needle until it bleeds then draw the thread through the foot. In the time of saying 'Credo' the bird will nod and in a short time die. This poison seems to have been pretty strong as it was used to kill amongst other beasts, full grown stags. It was known as the 'Crossbowman's herb' and was smeared on the arrow shaft from the point downwards for five or six finger breadths then a strip of thin linen was wound around the poisoned part to which it adhered without the need for glue, there doesn't seem to be an explanation for the linen wrap but I suspect it was to either protect the bowman from the poison or the poison from being deposited in places it shouldn't be until use. Regards, Norman.

29th January 2008, 10:42 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,200	This has indeed proven a lively topic Kirsten, and hope the notes posted here will provide useful data to add to the research you are doing. I would really like to hear more as your project develops, and you are fortunate if you have access to the valuable resources at Pitt-Rivers. I wonder if the clay like substance on the shaft might have been intended as an absorbant to hold the poison? Norman, thank you for the information on European use of poison in hunting. It does seem that Spain held on to weapons and traditions much longer than most European countries, and it seems even used plug bayonets well into the 19th century. The suggestion of the use of poison in European swords and daggers has always intrigued me, and I've often wondered just how much of it was true and how much was simply hyperbole. The wrapping of the segment of shaft holding the poison seems like a very plausible way to prevent accidental removal or inadvertant self poisoning as you suggest. It seems like one of the Tanzanian poison arrows I saw in one of the references was wrapped with something in this manner. All best regards, Jim