American Indian Archery. The Civilization of the American Indian Series.

No one knows for certain just when the bow and arrow came into use in America, but they were in use from the far north to the tip of South America when Europeans first arrived. Over the hemisphere the equipment ranged from very poor to excellent, with the finest bows of all being made in the northwest of North America. Some of these bows rivaled the ancient classic bow in beauty of design and workmanship. The attitudes of whites toward Indian archers and their equipment have ranged from the highest of praise (with mythical feats rivaling those of William Tell and Robin Hood) to mockery and derision for the Indians' short "deformed" bows and small arrows. Most popular conceptions of Indian archery have been found to be erroneous and this book attempts to correct some of these false impressions and to give a true picture of this ancient art as practiced by the original Americans. The book provides insight about the use of archery tackle by American Indians, the ingenuity associated with its manufacture and maintenance, and the importance of archery in everyday Indian life. Following an introduction and history of Indian archery are chapters on comparison of bows, bow making and sinewed bows, horn bows, strings, arrows, quivers, shooting, medicine bows, Indian crossbows, and blowguns. Drawings as well as black and white and color photographs illustrate many types of bows and arrows and usage techniques. (Author/NEC)