Anthropology
Our Chumash Life pages for teachers and students provide a basic introduction to some aspects of traditional daily life. Our anthropologists answer questions about cultural anthropology, the history of Native Californians, ethnobotany, Native art, traditional tools, and technology.
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Chumash Arrow Quivers
Hello-
I'm trying to make an authentic Chumash arrow and quiver. I saw someone ask a similar question about the arrow, but I didn't see anything about the quiver. I was wondering if there were any examples, information, or general advice you could provide or direct me to that would help with my project. Anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Curator Response
Hi Steve,
Thank you for your question about Chumash-style quivers, and thanks for your patience with our slow answer. We’re pleased that you noted our earlier discussion about Chumash-style arrows. You can find several pages of information about quivers in The Material Culture of the Chumash Interaction Sphere, vol. I: Food Procurement and Transportation. These pages draw heavily on J.P. Harrington’s notes from conversations with Chumash elders from throughout the region.
The book draws a distinction between a skin quiver for carrying arrows, and a kind of quiver made of plant fibers used for storing arrows in the house. Click here to see a PDF of those pages. The complete volume—and other books in the series—can be found in our Store and Library. As of this posting, our Library is closed for improvements, but the Santa Barbara Public Library also carries books from the series, should you wish to consult them at length before our Library reopens.
There is also some information about Chumash bow making and material use sprinkled throughout the four-volume publication The Traditional Bowyer's Bible.
In related matters, we previously had one replica Chumash bow on exhibit, designed after a bow collected in Santa Barbara in 1793 by George Vancouver. Though our exhibit cases are closed right now, we expect this replica bow may go back on display when they reopen. If you’re interested in more discussion, I’d be happy to meet with you if you want to arrange a visit. You can email me directly at bbarbier@sbnature2.org.
Best wishes,
Associate Curator of Anthropology Brian Barbier, M.A.
