military/hunting arrows vs target arrows
Let's just, for the seek of convenience call a military arrow - utility arrow and target arrow - fancy arrow.
I wonder what would make major difference in terms of cost, amount of time and precission put into single arrow of each type?
Asking here, because I just can't see much of the differece, apart from the fact that target arrows where probably "matched sets"
I wonder what would make major difference in terms of cost, amount of time and precission put into single arrow of each type?
Asking here, because I just can't see much of the differece, apart from the fact that target arrows where probably "matched sets"
The degree of precision needed for a matched set of target arrows is mentioned in the old books. In state-based societies, military arrows were mass produced and supplied to the archers. In nomad societies, war arrows were probably home-made until the nomads formed a state and acquired the resources to mass produce arrows.
This practice varies depending on the time and the location. Target arrows were probably always more expensive than military arrows because of the extra work and superior materials used. Hunting arrows were likely to be valuable too. In each case, the archer expected to use his arrows many times. In war, once shot the arrow was gone forever. This does not answer the question of whether each archer made his own hunting and target arrows. That was probably decided by wealth and availability of fletchers. There is a Yuan dynasty arrow maker's kit that has been excavated and published in Wenwu showing that specialist fletchers existed then.
There is Byzantine material showing that practice arrows were marked with a name or a symbol to identify the archers so that their progress could be assessed.
This practice varies depending on the time and the location. Target arrows were probably always more expensive than military arrows because of the extra work and superior materials used. Hunting arrows were likely to be valuable too. In each case, the archer expected to use his arrows many times. In war, once shot the arrow was gone forever. This does not answer the question of whether each archer made his own hunting and target arrows. That was probably decided by wealth and availability of fletchers. There is a Yuan dynasty arrow maker's kit that has been excavated and published in Wenwu showing that specialist fletchers existed then.
There is Byzantine material showing that practice arrows were marked with a name or a symbol to identify the archers so that their progress could be assessed.
By "extra work" you mean extra time spent that goes into matching target arrows? Extra materials used or higher level of decoration?
Also do you think that in state-based society military arrow manufacturing was organized in assembly line fashion or many individual fletchers working independently, each one making an arrow from A to Z with some help of blacksmiths mayby?
Also do you think that in state-based society military arrow manufacturing was organized in assembly line fashion or many individual fletchers working independently, each one making an arrow from A to Z with some help of blacksmiths mayby?
Daniel,
You are correct about the "extra work". There were several ways that matched target arrows were more expensive. Firstly, arrows were matched by weight. Then the flight characteristics have to be tested. In this process arrows would be rejected. To get to this stage, you must have fully made up the arrows. Therefore you end up with spare arrows that you cannot use. Secondly as you surmised, good target arrows would be decorated. This increased the time spent on their manufacture. Judging from my observations and the experience Jack Farrell has had with highly decorated arrows, the decoration is put on before the arrows are fletched and hence before they were tested.
The book on bow making in Chengdu has a section on arrow making in China in the 1940s. The fletcher bought the wood, feathers, sinew, silk and iron arrow heads. He split or sawed the shafts from the wood, straightened them, rounded them and introduced some barrelling into the shape. The wood shavings were used in the stove that was used for straightening and for other purposes in the shop. The nocks were cut, the hole for the tang of the arrowhead was made with a hot wire, sinew and silk bindings were applied, the head mounted and the feathers applied. From this you can see the professional arrow maker was part assembler and part manufacturer.
I have read a study of pre-modern manufacturing in China which describes similar processes for many industries. These small workshops were monitored by government officials who were responsible for quality control and making sure things were made on time.
There would have been several trades men involved in arrow making. Loggers would have felled the trees and possibly transported them to the city. Blacksmiths made the arrow heads to order. The fletchers made all these things into complete arrows. Feathers and sinew were by products of other industries as was silk. Peach or cherry bark was some times used to cover the sinew and would have been bought in the market.
You can see from this that the process could be scaled up without expensive factory buildings by simply recruiting more arrow makers into a project. In the nomadic context, raw materials could be supplied to the best home arrow makers and they would become specialists for a season. The Mongols captured and enslaved many craftsmen. Arrow makers would have been appreciated. The account of one Parisian goldsmith suggests that it wasn't a bad life compared to what many people had experienced in their original locations.
In a culture that was sensitive to archery practice, without any external stimulus needed, people would start to compete to see who could make the best arrows and their work would become known. The ruler would have no trouble finding and recruiting arrow smiths.
You are correct about the "extra work". There were several ways that matched target arrows were more expensive. Firstly, arrows were matched by weight. Then the flight characteristics have to be tested. In this process arrows would be rejected. To get to this stage, you must have fully made up the arrows. Therefore you end up with spare arrows that you cannot use. Secondly as you surmised, good target arrows would be decorated. This increased the time spent on their manufacture. Judging from my observations and the experience Jack Farrell has had with highly decorated arrows, the decoration is put on before the arrows are fletched and hence before they were tested.
The book on bow making in Chengdu has a section on arrow making in China in the 1940s. The fletcher bought the wood, feathers, sinew, silk and iron arrow heads. He split or sawed the shafts from the wood, straightened them, rounded them and introduced some barrelling into the shape. The wood shavings were used in the stove that was used for straightening and for other purposes in the shop. The nocks were cut, the hole for the tang of the arrowhead was made with a hot wire, sinew and silk bindings were applied, the head mounted and the feathers applied. From this you can see the professional arrow maker was part assembler and part manufacturer.
I have read a study of pre-modern manufacturing in China which describes similar processes for many industries. These small workshops were monitored by government officials who were responsible for quality control and making sure things were made on time.
There would have been several trades men involved in arrow making. Loggers would have felled the trees and possibly transported them to the city. Blacksmiths made the arrow heads to order. The fletchers made all these things into complete arrows. Feathers and sinew were by products of other industries as was silk. Peach or cherry bark was some times used to cover the sinew and would have been bought in the market.
You can see from this that the process could be scaled up without expensive factory buildings by simply recruiting more arrow makers into a project. In the nomadic context, raw materials could be supplied to the best home arrow makers and they would become specialists for a season. The Mongols captured and enslaved many craftsmen. Arrow makers would have been appreciated. The account of one Parisian goldsmith suggests that it wasn't a bad life compared to what many people had experienced in their original locations.
In a culture that was sensitive to archery practice, without any external stimulus needed, people would start to compete to see who could make the best arrows and their work would become known. The ruler would have no trouble finding and recruiting arrow smiths.
To add to what Bede has said, even within the categories you have mentioned, there was a range of activities requiring different arrow designs. Setting aside crossbows, a wide range of arrows was used against different military targets of for hunting different prey.
In my set of Empire period Mongolian arrows, there are six pairs of arrows with different heads, though the shafts are similar. Clearly the shafts are not carefully matched. The Qing Chinese used a great variety of arrowhead designs in hunting and military operations. Examinations was an area with a great investment in matched shafts. Sometimes the arrows were provided by the examination authority to ensure a 'level playing field'.
In my set of Empire period Mongolian arrows, there are six pairs of arrows with different heads, though the shafts are similar. Clearly the shafts are not carefully matched. The Qing Chinese used a great variety of arrowhead designs in hunting and military operations. Examinations was an area with a great investment in matched shafts. Sometimes the arrows were provided by the examination authority to ensure a 'level playing field'.
For the Qing there are even hunting arrows described with ivory details, precious imported feathers like argus, and / or golden inlaid heads. These were probably the most expensive arrows of the period.
Hunting was an elite sport at the time, where high-ranked imperial guards and battlefield commanders showed their prowess alongside the emperor himself who also participated.
It is probably quite similar to how golf is used nowadays to do business, people showing up with expensive, custom-made equipment to show off and create a platform to talk business and promotion. It was probably more exciting than golf, though.
-Peter
Hunting was an elite sport at the time, where high-ranked imperial guards and battlefield commanders showed their prowess alongside the emperor himself who also participated.
It is probably quite similar to how golf is used nowadays to do business, people showing up with expensive, custom-made equipment to show off and create a platform to talk business and promotion. It was probably more exciting than golf, though.
-Peter