Arrows - Specimen details
| Catalogue Number: 38638 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Plant Name | 200.00 POACEAE Gynerium | Entry Book Number | 65.1850 | |
| Artefact Name | Arrows | Vernacular Name | |||
| Iso Country | Brazil | TDWG Region | Brazil | ||
| Parts Held | Arrows | Geography Description | Brazil | ||
| Uses | ArrowsUse: MATERIALS User: Not defined | TDWG use | MATERIALS | ||
| Storage | Bottles etc, outsize | Related Items | |||
| Donor | Spruce, Richard | Donor No | 38 | ||
| Donor Date | 12/12/1850 | Donor Notes | |||
| Collector | Spruce, Richard | Collector No | 38 | ||
| Collection Notes | Collection Date | ||||
| Exhibition | Expedition | ||||
| Number Components | Publication | ||||
| Notes: | Label source: Arrows made of the Aryore de Frecha or Arrow tree. The one fitted up is such as the Tapuyo Indians use at Santarem for killing fish.x0Dx0Ax0Dx0ASource: Spruce, R. (1855) Domestic Plants. Plantae Amazonicae. Domestic uses (pp31-61) and miscellaneou, s notes, p58.: This exceedingly handsome grass is most abundant in the Amazon. It is found on Rio Negro near every village where Indians themselves consider it has been planted. I have never seen it truly wild. On Amazon form Rio Negro upwards one scar, cely ever loses sight of it, long broad strips often unmined with any other plant. Its aspect is quite that of a bed of reeds on a gigantic scale. Its usual height is 15-20 ft but on upper Marañon in places where it is mixed with trees which at once dre, w it up and prevented it being overborne by waters in flood-time, I have seen stems 30ft which thickness can be that of mans ankle. When it grows it puts forth from lowest joints, buttresses which barely exist on plants of ordinary stature.x0Dx0Ax0Dx0AThe use fo, r which this grass is chiefly known is that in its long smooth light and at same time elastic (peduncle?) the Indian finds best material for his arrow. By simply splitting in the middle these peduncles can be framed into very neat bird cages of stout cu, ticle, fine hair -combs are made by Indians on Uapes. The stems are perhaps more universally used in the Province of Mayna than any other vegetation product. The walls of the Indians houses, the ceilings, the stages on which he dries his fishes and oth, er articles are simply stems of caña brava. With this he fastens up his mosquito net and the white man is glad to follow his example and also fence his garden and make hen coops. For common purposes it is used in its rough state with persistent leaf she, ath still on, but for ceilings and other uses in interiors of houses the sheaths are stripped. As I came up Nacuta my Indians each provided himself with a 12ft long stem of caña brava which served to propel the canoe, whenever water was shallow enough, m, ore quickly than oars do. Also manufactured into durable hats.x0Dx0A | ||||