Birch Bark Quivers

It seems to be glue only. There is no sign of any metal parts. There is splicing to the wooden frame elements. I'll look more carefully tonight.

For a first quiver, I would suggest following the construction method used in an early Turkish quiver of the same type. The wooden battens are duplicated on the inside of the quiver and holes are drilled through the outside batten and the birch bark and the matching inside batten. Then the whole thing is sewn together. The holes are in pairs and the stitching is through each set of holes and tied off so that each pair is a unit.

There might have been pine resin glue as well, but I don't read Russian so I cannot comment with any certainty.

Stephen & Bede, thanks for the information. I suspect that doubling the battens and sewing will make construction simpler and stronger, even if I am slightly mixing eras.

Andrew

After a long delay, here is a photo of the completed quiver.

I am quite happy with it as a first attempt, although it ended up a bit wider and less elegant than the original due to a miscalculation on the size (but it will hold more arrows) and I had trouble replicating the shape of the bends around the top.

It is made from local birch bark from a fallen tree (three pieces), maple back plate, top and reinforcement strips, softwood base and bone strap attachments. The bark pieces are butted together, but small gaps have opened up as the bark has shrunk since it was assembled. It weights about 1 3/4 lbs, which although not light, is less than most people expect it to weigh.

I replicated the back plate extending from base of the quiver, which is seen on several surviving originals. Anyone know the function of this extension, as all it appears to do is stop you standing the quiver upright on its base? (Parking the quiver or a flat floor was obviously not a design requirement of the nomadic owners of the originals).

Andrew

Andrew,
The quiver looks very authentic and quite stylish. I will look up my Russian article to find more details of the wooden reingorcement. I thing the top of the mouth of the quiver in the early Turkish versions was not as thick. Later, in some areas it was dispensed with altogether leaving only the back and sides.

Andrew; A very admirable job. You are an excellent craftsman. Can you show maybe how you attached to the back? or closeup of the upprt part? Did you have to attach the center rod before assembly? -j-

Bede, Jack,
Thanks for the complements.

All the wooden strips are paired, including the back plates. The interior strips stop just short of the bottom to allow for the thickness of the base plate. Two large sheets of bark were used for the main tube, and a smaller sheet for behind the opening.

It was constructed by sewing the bark between the back plates at one edge, then attaching each reinforcement strip pair in turn, keeping the bark flat. I then warmed the bark over a fire to make it easier to bend into a tube, and fed the other edge between the back plates and sewed. The last piece of bark to be attached was the small piece at the back of the top, which was fed between the slats and pushed into shape.

After this I shaped the base plate and top piece (which has a curved interior so is not as thick as it looks in the photo) and glued them.

The initial sewing is quite simple, but gets increasingly tricky when the bark is finally formed into a tube and you are trying to get you hands into the narrow part.

I will post some more photos later.

Andrew

Andrew,
Stunning work, congratulations!
Can you tell the species of the birch? Is it the common Betula pendula?
Birch bark is a wonderful material and I'm so unhappy that the Paper birch isn't native to Europe... :(
Nice solution with the bone mountings. Aesthetic of your work is very appealing to me.

I'm sorry for the off topic question but I wonder what's the red material on your arrows, just behind the piles?.

I have attached a few more photos. Unfortunately, the more detailed views show the less than perfect fit of the top pieces.

Also attached is a simple cross-section drawing showing the bark (grey) and wood (black).

The bark is from Silver Birch (Betula pendula). It is quite unusual to get clean pieces of suitable size as the bark of most of the larger trees are covered in dark diamond shaped crevices. The pieces I used were from a quite large tree, but only a few square feet was clean and flat.

As can be seen in the more detailed photo, the red material at the front of the arrows is red paint. Some of the originals had cherry bark wrappings over the sinew bindings holding in the tanged points. As these arrows were designed for regular shooting, paint was more likely to stay on.

Andrew

Andrew - good work !

Andrew,
If I can find them, I will post the cross sections I have of the Turkish quiver. I have seen arrows with the cherry bark covering of the sinew behind the points. I have been told it is very tough. Amur cherry was the preferred species where it was available.

I will check some of my old arrows. The Chinese ones had bark, but some of the Indo-Persian ones might have been painted to protect the sinew. After reading Adam's book, I am looking more carefully at finishes on old equipment I own.

Spot on, Andrew. :D

could you send a picture of bottom?

Bashqort, a photo of the bottom as requested.

The base was shaped for a tight fit in the bottom and glued to the bark (as evidenced by the glue round the edges).

Andrew

Please consider sharing a set of dimensioned working drawings with Members. I can upload it to ATARN.

S

Same construction from russian museums.Maybe help you.

[external image]

First draft of drawings. Needs a few more dimensions and instructions.

I would be grateful for constructive comments.

Andrew

Andrew,
much, much appreciated, thank you for the plans and inspiration!
I think the great advantage of the bark quivers like yours is you don't really need to spend much money like in case of leather ones to make a replica quiver, you just need to colect some wood slats and bark.

Andrew. The drawing is good. Some note on the materials would help. Also, I noticed for the first time from the drawings that the front and back surfaces are parallel. In the original, there is a narrowing towards the mouth as seen from the side, as well as what you can see from the front. Measured front to back, the mouth is probably 3cm narrower than the base.

Unless you are prohibiting everyone from making a quiver from your drawings, you should modify your copyright statement.

This is the Tang Dynasty in China had been recorded, Chinese become "胡禄"

Stephen,
The quiver does taper in thickness as well as width (the bark naturally tends to form a roughly circular cross-section, although it is distorted by the oval base shape). It is about 4" thick at the base and 2 1/2" at the neck. I will add some more dimensions to clarify. I will also add some more notes on materials and construction.

The copyright statement was an attempt to restrict reproduction of the drawing (although anything appearing on the internet seems to be copied without restrictions), I did not expect it to restrict making quivers from the drawing. I will adjust it.

Chiron,
This basic quiver shape was used for a long period using different materials. Do you know if the Tang dynasty examples were from bark or leather?

Andrew Hall:
I reviewed a few history books and found some relevant information. "胡禄" derived from the Turkic qurluqr of sound,
《新唐书?兵志》记载,士兵标准装备的兵器,为?弓一,矢三十,胡禄、横刀皆一?...?胡禄?藏矢之器也，兽皮所制...
Above are the ancient Chinese, Translation: the soldier's standard equipment is a bow, 30 arrows, one each胡禄and long ... "胡禄" arrows are used to hold things, the manufacture of animal skin. ..

Chiron

Andrew Hall:
I do our best to help you search the relevant information you wish to be helpful.
__________
Chiron

Continue ...

Continue ...

Second draft of drawings with more details and information on construction. Again, I look forward to comments.

Chiron, is your reconstruction based on any archeological finds from the Tang dynasty, or from artwork? I have seen photos of several Yuan dynasty quivers and some earlier Turkic and Khazar examples, but I can't recall seeing any from the Tang dynasty.

"Warriors of the Himalayas" by the Metropolitan Museum of Art has photographs of a number of Tibetan or Mongolian quivers, one from the 13th-15th centuries. This has a wooden and wicker structure covered in leather, iron reinforcements and keyhole-shaped copper alloy cowl around the opening. It looks a challenge to recreate.

Andrew

Andrew,
Just an idea, have you considered some sort of finish on your quiver; painting, varnishing etc.?
I just thought it would be nice to seal the seams and joints to make such quiver somewhat more water resistant (providing there is some sort of cover of the open top).
Of course if you consider using the quiver in wet conditions.
I was considering the method used with Birch bark canoe making ? sealing the seams with boiled mixture of tree-resin and animal fat.
Forget if that?s irrelevant.

Andrew Hall
The demobilization plan from the Tang Dynasty, the tomb of a prince of the murals, at the same time in some history books have few words also. There are no physical artifacts, and Chinese studies in this respect are rarely experts. The following are photos of the murals.
??????????
Chiron

Find some relevant articles, the translation a bit. Because my English is not very good, probably some place unsatisfactory translation, I hope will be forgiven.


Crescent-shaped bow of the Origin and Development of Tao - Western weapons an example of the impact of the Central Plains

At the military equipment in the Tang Dynasty has a meniscus-shaped bow-tao (ie bow BAG), before someone is considered cutlass, [1] have people think are leopard tail. [2]拙作"talk昭陵六骏stone in line Qiu Pei Kung device" [3] have pointed out its arch-tao, and crescent-shaped bow Tang Tao (mainly the Central Plains region) is divided into Ⅰ, Ⅱ 2 type. Type Ⅰ will bow completely hidden in Tao, only in the Tao his mouth slightly bow Blastophagus Department; Ⅱ type bow can not be fully satisfied in the Tao and it is therefore also exposed to the Tao extraoral longer do a bow, Tao mouth shape also there is another type Ⅰ, similar to the scabbard mouth. Through at home and abroad, as well as archaeological literature analysis, we have come to further conclusions: crescent-shaped bow outPersianincome source tao empire, from Western Asia, Syria, via the Silk Road introduced to the Central Plains.

At the Central Plains region, crescent-shaped arch at the Sui and Tang Tao are a time when the popular, and has yet to see the information there is the Sui and Tang dynasties ago. However, in the Hexi region, has been the use of the late Northern Dynasties; while in the Xinjiang region, 5-6th century (the equivalent of the Northern Dynasties period) have been popular, the emergence of even date back to the 4th century there is possible (equivalent to 16 States period).

Murals in caves in Xinjiang, a number of emerging meniscus-shaped bow-tao's image. Xinjiang Kizil Grottoes murals 114 Cave "Moses Benthan Horse" is the 4 century AD -5 century works, although the subjects depicted are Buddhist, but it is then reflected in the image of Qiuci Cavalier. Screen of the Cavalier, "the first round, neck thick, bristle occasion to glabella long distance, Wang was also wide, features at a small percentage of the face and concentrate on", [4] and long-term copying, research Grottoes mural artists in general terms Qiuci typical person is fully consistent image. Knight armor worn by the middle of the opening and closing their chests, there is a higher to about separate stand-collar, belong to the type of Sassanid Persia. Knight the right side of his waist hung sheng胡禄arrows, the left side of his waist hung tao bends. Performance because of the murals are the right Cavalier face, so can only see the upper portion of curved Tao. Tao wide bend, the upper break point clear. This is known in China during the first bend-tao image. (Figure II) [5]

Kizil Grottoes, Xinjiang garang Ha Cave No. 14 left lateral connected mural "Zheng eight relic" is the Northern Dynasties period (439-581 years) works, although seriously damaged the screen, but screen the lower part of the two bends his waist Cavalier Tao is still vaguely discernible, the one near both ends of each Department obvious break point. Knight armor worn by the Persian Sassanid belong to type. [6]

Xinjiang Kizil Grottoes Cave No. 14 has a 6-7 century AD菱格Jataka stories draw, screen clarity, one of the Cavalier left waist bow Closteridium Tao Pei一弯. Knight armor worn also belong to the type of Sassanid Persia. (Figure III) [7]

Xinjiang Kizil Grottoes murals Cave No. 224, "Wang points eight relic" is also 6-7 century works, the screen around each of four warriors, one of the left side of the left first, the three right-hand side of his waist Cavalier has Hu-pei Paul, the left side of his waist hung tao bends, the second from the right side of right, the left side of his waist three Cavalier linked Tao bends, its shape and the first 14 ha garang Kizil Cave Towers bends or less the same, near both ends of its Department Obviously there is one break point. Knight armor worn also belong to the type of Sassanid Persia. (Figure IV) [8]

Xinjiang Grottoes murals above the bend in the Tao, are popular in the Tang Dynasty the Central Plains region of type Ⅰ Tao bending approximation, only the bending curve is not smooth, near both ends of the Agency at each one obvious break point.

Following in Xinjiang, the Hexi Corridor region in the Dunhuang frescoes have also emerged in bending the image of Tao. Such as Dunhuang Mogao Cave 285 Western Wei Dynasty (535-556 years) mural "bandit 500 Buddha" (one of) the horse armor Cavalier V-formation right from the first right-wing people, the fourth person the right side of his waist were Perry has胡禄, the left side of his waist and the revolver has胡禄corresponding meniscus-shaped bow-tao. [9]

Parallelism can be seen above the age of information, bends Tao emergence early in the Hexi Corridor in Xinjiang, Hexi the morning in the Central Plains. Therefore the initial the view that such artifacts are mainly imported from the Western Regions, as the Hexi Corridor of the Central Plains.

At about the 5th century, the bending-tao image also appeared in the river regions of Central Asia and Southern Siberia and other places.

Central Asian films panjikent (one translation Pyanj do this film panjikent Tajikistan 1.5 kilometers southeast of the city, one of the Tang Dynasty for昭武Toquz rice country) sites large murals District 6 District 41 Room murals are works of the 7th century , one of the heroes portrayed鲁斯达姆the image of both the right view, and the left view, the right side of his waist hung胡禄, the left side of his waist hung一弯Lunar Bow Tao, and the Central Plains region in the Tang Dynasty popular Ⅱ Bow Tao similar type, but also can not be fully satisfied in Bow Tao, the Tao extraoral also exposed to longer do a bow, the main differences are the bending curve is not smooth, arch-tao at the bottom there is about one-third of Department 1 more obvious break point. (Figure V) [10]

Kent mural tablets governance "as soon the men and women", 7 are the beginning of the end of the century -8 century works, one of the men linked to the left side of his waist一弯Closteridium bow Tao, its shape with the 6 District 41 Room Murals in arch Tao broadly similar . [11]

In the South Siberian Yenisey River near Aminou辛斯克has a rock, there is one of a knight holding a lance in the right waist胡禄In addition, there is one thing, the shape of the aforementioned Article 14 ha garang Kezier Cave murals "Wang eight hours relic" of the bow-tao approximation. Tao quiver and bow are linked at the right side, which will be described below Syrian欧拉杜stone ruins罗波斯Cavalier wear quiver and bow-tao way are consistent. This is generally believed that about 5-7 century Turkic people work, the performance of the image are Turkic Cavalier, but the Japanese scholars on Jiang's Sharipov consider high-Cart This is the image of Cavalier. [12] If there is a high-Cart Knight's image, its age may be earlier.

In the Altai Mountains north of repair Malik found in rock paintings in the 6-7 century Turkic has cited chase prey For bow hunters shot the image, itsRightlinked胡禄, Leftlinked to one object, from the screen can be seen on the complex semi - Duan, Tao curved shape. The upper rock has Turkic language. [13]

High vehicles, such as Northern Turkic steppe nomads happened on many occasions and the Central Plains War, and other exchanges is also very frequent. Naturally as possible by their漠南other places, will be introduced to the Central Plains Tao bends.

Fully up, we can see that crescent-shaped arch in the 4-7 century Tao Guan Yang at the west of the region have been widely distributed. Then, the river, Xinjiang, Southern Siberia, what is the source? Or otherwise the source? It is worth noting that belong toPersianinterest of the Syrian Empire杜拉尤罗波斯site has a 2 century AD stone Cavalier, Cavalier has linked the right side of his waist bow and quiver bags. Quiver for cylindrical with Sassanian quiver North Korea as well as Han Chinese casket approximate pill. BAG arch shape elongated, curved at both ends, which are currently seen in the era of the earliest archaeological bends the image of Tao. (Figure 6) [14] Although the shape and Xinjiang, the Central Plains and other places have different bends韬略, but the basic shape is consistent, you can consider the latter are in circulation in the process of Change.

In addition, at a later time belong to the Arab-North Korea during the Japanese maya Syria哈伊尔加尔than the palace has an area of about creation in AD 730 years of flooring draw, draw in a small antelope has one of the Cavalier Shooters hands Zhanggong For radio, the right side of his waist hung a cylindrical quiver, the left side of his waist do have one of his arch-tao type Ⅱ bends. It appears the Cavalier with a double bow. Western art historians think that the draw is obviously belong to the Persian artistic style, and may even be an original Persian draw inspiration. [15] In view of this, Tao did bend along the popular in West Asia.

Have mastered the basis of these data, we are inclined to think: from a bend-tao empire in Western AsiaPersianincome, down the Silk Road oasis of Central Asia Road incoming river, Xinjiang, Hexi reentry, the Central Plains; down the Silk Road Grassland Road incoming South Siberia, and probably through the re-introduction of the Central Plains漠南; have been distributed in from West Asia to East Asia, vast areas.

As mentioned above, 4-7th century murals in the grottoes in Xinjiang Cavalier book many Persian-style armor, it can consider, at a longer time, the Xinjiang region of the weapons and equipment from the Persian by the effects of bending-tao from Persia along the the Silk Road in Xinjiang imported is possible.

Tao bends with imported Hexi Hexi 16 States since the close contact with Western-related. Sixteen States period, founded in Hexi area from the cooler and the closer ties between the Western Regions. Western countries have repeatedly presented to the envoy from the cooler side objects. In addition, LuQin DynastyQiuci attack after winning the East to the time, "to more than 20,000 head camel-inducedRaremore than foreign goods, more than horses and also Horse." [16] will be a large number of trophies, to Hexi. Northern Wei Dynasty, the Hexi Corridor and the Western Regions still closely the various contact. Therefore, the Western Wei Dynasty at Dunhuang murals appear bent Tao did not happen by chance.

Sui Dynasty, the Central Plains and the West Region, the Hexi communicate more frequent. Tao around bends down the Silk Road is imported at this time the Central Plains. Tang Dynasty, the Western Regions of the Central Plains of the impact of civilization increasingly strengthened, popular on society, "Hu" of wind, especially the aristocracy for Sheng. The prevalence of nobility in order to hunt for music, archery weapons is not only important, but also noble objects indispensable to life. Chapter HUAI murals in the tomb of Prince Edward Lee Hyun-hunting trip Fig Cavalier所绘many bends Tao Pei, is a case in point. Can consider bending the incoming Tao and popular, both with 16 countries since the Central Plains and Western Regions in the political, the military is closely related to the frequent contacts; also with the aristocracy of livelihood Hu winds have closely related. "Such Hu大率for the Western Regions of the wind is still good: clothes, diet, palace, music and dance, painting, competing things come mooring." [17] the past, the impact of Western civilization, most of the Central Plains of the study focused on apparel, such as the above, it is less involved in the Western Regions of the Central Plains of the impact of weapons, and according to the test on bending Tao is obviously a product of Western civilization, its imported weapons affect the central plains in the Western Regions is a clear case of the Central Plains.

In addition, we at Towers Perrin study also found a bend of the situation it is worth noting that archaeological materials such as op below, bending Tao often supporting the use of胡禄.胡禄is a unique quiver. Abroad, someone called "斯基泰quiver." [18] consider from someone or other Central Asian Turkic nomads, [19] someone from Sogd think at the end of [20] someone think Early Tang Dynasty are imported from the Western Regions of the Central Plains. [21] However, whether the origin at any place of origin when, how the route of transmission, but has not been able to study tomorrow.胡禄route of transmission may be also related to bending Tao has similarities, however, currently limited to information, it is difficult to set, and as soon as the various different information than a complete day, the further detailed examination.

I have some Tang pottery figures of this crescent bow in a bow case (Tao). On some it is very clear that the bow case forms the shape of a fish. I am puzzled because the bow looks too short. Also, when I saw original Tang bows in Turfan, they are much larger and not a simple crescent shape.

Will post later.

Stephen,
As you have pointed out in relation to the Yuan, there were probably different bow types in use throughout the empire.

The small bow cases are usually shown with well depicted quivers which makes it possible the bow cases are depicted accurately. If there were two lengths of bow in use at the same time it would not be unusual. Nor would it be strange to have bows specified for certain court events and ceremonies. The Tang were rich.

Stephen Selby wrote:

I have some Tang pottery figures of this crescent bow in a bow case (Tao). On some it is very clear that the bow case forms the shape of a fish. I am puzzled because the bow looks too short. Also, when I saw original Tang bows in Turfan, they are much larger and not a simple crescent shape.

The same problem also plagued me the past few days I was to access the information, I hope to find a convincing answer.

Andrew Hall
I found this to prove you are right. But I still doubt that the ancient Chinese books documented in the leather material is not kind to prove, but some can vaguely see the sculpture above.

I still want to know how to get the arrows into the quiver fletch down. -j-

jack farrell wrote:

I still want to know how to get the arrows into the quiver fletch down. -j-

I'm using such a quiver for about 2 years now. I have never had problems with stuffing the arrows fletch down - the fletching is always intact. However, I'm using turkey and geese feathers for fletching and they are hard. I suppose, if I were using soft feathers (as Koreans and others do), there would be a problem.

Jack,
Ruthven is right. I made one of these quivers 15 years ago and as long as you put the arrows in one at a time, there is no problem. Pheasant feathers work just as well as turkey.

If you want to put a group of arrows at once, put a handkerchief over the end. If it has a ribbon sewn to one corner, you can remove it from the quiver and use it again.

Andrew, could you possibly post a picture of the top please?

daryush

There is a photo of the top on page 1 of this topic. Do you want a different angle?

Andrew

Yeah, sorry, I meant looking almost straight down. Just trying to get a feel of how big the top covering is meant to be compared to the narrow opening.

Thanks

Here's my take at a birch bark quiver, much inspired by Andrew Hall's work. As can be seen, I've used the plans.
I hope Andrew has nothing against posting me that one in his thread.

I'm not quite satisfied with the outcome, I consider it more like an exericise piece, though the making of the quiver was a good learning experience. I would do several things differently now.
The quiver is made of five pieces of bark, as it's quite a chore to get clean enough pieces, sewn together with nettle fibers and cordage, all wooden pieces are ash, bone strap mounts tied with cordage of inner bark of lime tree, no glue.
The main sheets of bark turned out to be too small, hence I had to make the open part longer what makes the quiver quite unproportional. I also cut the back wooden laths too short over hastily thus I needed to compensate with joining some smaller pieces which look unsightly, the top wooden piece is quite clumsy and the bottom one doesn't fit tight. I would use much less seams now as sewing the thing together is quite a task, especially in my case preparing the nettles took a lot of time. To prevent any gaps I overlapped the bark pieces together

I also have a couple of thoughts to share, as can be seen I used the bark inside-out. There are several reasons to that, I used bark that had been already in storage for some years, the bark curves that way when drying, it would take some effort, though not much, to bend it the other way. The other reason is that the inner surface of the bark is much cleaner and plain, I did take some of the outer layers of bark on the opposite side off though to make this surface clean, this is best done when the bark is wet.
Also most birch bark containers I've seen or the birch bark canoes are made with the inner surface of the bark facing outwards.
Is anyone able to tell what is the orientation of the bark in the surviving ancient quivers? I think the inside-out orientation would proabably answer Andrew Hall's question on the glued only quivers, as the common sense is telling me that it would be better to glue the wooden slats to the inner surface of the bark, as it doesn't separate into layers as the outer surface does.
I would really like to make a replica of the actual glued Yuan dynasty quiver that inspired that thread. I also hope that maybe someone else would aslo get inspired to make a glued birch bark quiver and share the experience here.

The article on the closed quivers by Bede Dwyer is also of great help to anyone interested in the subject.
http://www.atarn.org/islamic/bede/CLOSE ... ER2001.htm

here go the pictures:
the front
[external image]

the back
[external image]

Here are the other views:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Ashbow2/BirchBarkQuivers

Nice, Nice, Nice. Clean and fresh. Looks light as a feather.

Your quiver is exactly the same as the ones that I have seen excavated in Xinjiang. I can see no difference.

When you make your 'expert level' one, please consider donating this first one to the Institute in Turfan, which hopes to build up a body of good replicas.

Excellent piece of work.

Thank you all for the kind words.

Jack, the quiver weights 565 grams, that would be about the same as the weight of the one Andrew Hall made.

Stephen, that would be a pleasure to donate a quiver to the Institute. I'm not quite sure though if you meant the one I made or some other one I'm supposed to make?
As I wrote, I would like to make a glued up verison, paying more attention to the dimensions of the Yuan quiver. I don't want to promise anything, but I'll try my best to make it happen.

A couple of pictures I took today.

A close-up of the seems and the nettle thread

[external image]

The bone strap mount, attached with the cordage of lime tree inner-bark

[external image]