| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| sally_in_wales |
Neolithic Archer's Outfit- lots of picsFor those of you that were interested in the project we've been working on recently to recreate a version of a Neolithic archer's outfit based in part on the Otzi finds of a few years ago, here's the first outfit at the filmshoot today:The outfit used 10 goatskins (7 hide on, three leather) and a decent slice off a deerskin and off a cowhide.First a few in the studio: 
Gareth talking to the archaeologists about the outfit 
And wandering through the site en route to a location (lots of funny looks from visitors 
Making an arrow shaft using replica flints, arrow straighteners, dogfish skin as sandpaper, sinew etc 
And finally, loosing an arrow from the replica bow. Its a selfbow, in yew, and its pullweight is over 95lb, Gareth was the first person to draw it and we were all terrified it was going to explode. Fortunatley the bowyer who made this did excellent work, and all was well. 
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| sean |
Impressive. | ||||||||
| sally_in_wales |
We have a second set to make now, first is going into the display collection and is going on a model in the gallery, second will be used for experimental use and teaching. I'm going to be sick of the sight of deerckin before the end of this! | ||||||||
| Frewen |
WOW 
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| sean |
Re: Neolithic Archer's Outfit- lots of pics
A friend of mine who did re-enactment stuff bought a bow some years ago and I snapped it the day he took delivery of it. How we laughed. |
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| sally_in_wales |
these are just my cra**y snaps, should be some lovely ones when the studio footage comes back  I was quite proud of him, I have to say. Any man in his mid 40s who can manage not to look 100% ridiculous whilst wearing nothing but fur must be doing ok (and yes, he does look a teensy bit ridiculous, but if you are into early technology it gets better  )
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| Helen M |
done in true gruff style. amazing.
you are both a wonder and an inspiration. you are so clever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! still feel rough though so could you get him to put on a womans fourties style dress and take photos? 
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| Rob R |
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| Helen M |
god he's gonna kill me for that one  hehe
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| sally_in_wales |
I did ask him for you, you got one of those looks in return
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| vegplot |
Is the flat yew bow representative of the style used? My limited knowledge led me to believe that yew bows were D shaped in section. It's quite powerful at 95 lbs, certainly powerful enough to hunt with.
The pics look great. |
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| Helen M |
i'll consider myself chastised!
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| sally_in_wales |
This one is a copy of a single find (I forget which, is it the Mere Heath bow??), you are correct most other self bows known from the period are more d-shaped. |
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| cab |
Very cool outfit. Did you make (knap?) the flints for arrowheads yourselves? | ||||||||
| sally_in_wales |
John Lord did those, we can do basic stuff but not replicate the beautiful leaf shaped blades, I've never mastered the fine detail on flint. |
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| cab |
I knew I'd heard that name before, just googled it and found this tremendous site: http://www.flintknapping.co.uk/ |
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| sally_in_wales |
John is one of my favouritest people in the whole world, if you ever get the chance to see him working, go, its quite an experience. He made me a flint toolkit to make a seagull wingbone flute with a few years ago whilst I talked to him, I was describing what I wanted to do to the bone, and he'd sit with his flint and go tink tink tink, and hand me a saw, or a drill or a knife, just like that. His wife does lovely cordage and similar. |
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| cab |
I seem to recall hearing very positive things about him and his work from other archaeologists too. Trying to remember who... Might have been a wannabe viking I used to know called Chris. | ||||||||
| Stacey |
Re: Neolithic Archer's Outfit- lots of pics
"I was thinking, what's my motivation yah? And it came to me like, what would Roy Scheider do?........."
He looks ace
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| mochyn |
Not Chris Franklyn, I hope? |
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| cab |
Robinson, I believe. Viking re-enactor extraordinaire. Although I'm not sure it WAS him enthusing about Sallys friendly knapper, I seem to have met a lot of archaeology graduates and it may have been any of them
Who is Chris Franklyn? |
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| vegplot |
That's very interesting (to me anyway). I must do a little more research. Thanks. |
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| dpack |
must sew rieideer skins |
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| sally_in_wales |
I'll find out exactly which one this was, I know they were very pleased with the replica, its meant to be a very close copy of the extant one |
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| Brownbear |
The fine-detailed flint arrowheads would not have been used for hunting in any case. They took such an investment of time when alternatives are just as lethal, that they were not worth destroying for hunting. It would be like loading your deer rifle with diamond-tipped bullets - expensive and of no practical use. |
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| sally_in_wales |
Except a lot are found with the points chipped off, which is exactly what happens in experiments using this sort of arrow against a target. We had it happen yesterday, an exact mimic of the sort of break found in extant arrowheads when ours hit a tree. I agree that some of the super fine ones are probably more about status and skill than use, but most of the arrowheads found do seem to be intended for use, and many of these are technically very beautifully worked.
Also, experiments with the tools of the day suggest that the part of the arrow that took longest to make was the shaft, a good knapper can make a leaf shaped or barb and tang arrowhead in a matter of a handful of minutes, to perfectly straighten and nock a shaft takes significantly longer, and its interesting just how tricky it is to cut an even deep nock using the shape of flint tool that we know was widespread in the Neolithic, takes much longer than first seems likely |
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
amazing photos. Thank you Sally (and Gareth)
From an archaeological point of view what's been learnt from the project? |
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| marigold |
Fantastic! A great achievement for all involved. 
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| cab |
Presumably getting the shaft just right is most worthwhile if you've also got excellent airodynamics in the tip? Without good workmanship in fletching and the arrowhead, it won't fly straight anyway? Or does the final shape of the arrowhead not make such a difference to how well he arrow flies? |
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| sally_in_wales |
I presume so, archery isnt really my area, but I know there are quite a range of arrowhead shapes known, each probably for a different purpose, as far as I know they all fly about the same if the shaft is straight and the fletchings are good. |
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| Mary-Jane |
Re: Neolithic Archer's Outfit- lots of pics
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| vegplot |
I know in later periods arrow heads were often loosely fitted to the shaft using resin or glue. Presumably to be able to retrieve and reuse shaft once the payload had been delivered to it's target, which itself could be reused once dug out of an animals body. I wasn't sure whether the reflected in the worth of the item or not but your comment seems to indicate that it could be if evidence suggest that arrow head weren't firmly attached to the shaft. I've made a number of arrows before but only using preformed shafts. Getting the bend out of one takes a lot of skill and/or time, let alone forming one from the raw material. |
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| Gervase |
That was certainly the case with harpoons for a long time - the head was only loosely fitted to the haft and remained in the quarry after the haft was pulled out. The recovery line was attached to the head, which turned sideways in the flesh of the quarry when the line was put under strain, anchoring it more firmly. | ||||||||
| mochyn |
Chris is an ex who was a Viking re-enactor oooh about 35 years ago... and a leatherworker. |
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| sally_in_wales |
yep, checked, its a copy of the Meare Heath bow, found in Somerset, c2500bc |