Title centered
  • Home
  • The Collections
  • People and Places
  • Conversations
  • Learn
  • Media Galleries
  • About
  • News
  • Welcome
  • Explore by Type
  • Explore the Collections
  • Explore "A Case of Access"
  • Natural History Collection

Related Content

Thumb e2072 1
More about Drills

E2072-0 - Bow DrillBack

Thumb e2072 1 Thumb e2072 Thumb 780061qfzc2q3wtl

Description

This is a bow drill set consisting of a mouthpiece, spindle and bow. The mouthpiece has been carved from a single piece of wood. It has a square section that was held between the teeth, flanges on each side that would have rested against the cheeks, and a bearing made of stone with a hole to receive the drill spindle inset into the top of the arch. The spindle shaft is made from wood. It narrows toward the end that was inserted into the bearing of the mouthpiece, and is slightly constricted at the mid-point where the thong of the bow would have been wrapped around it. An iron drill bit, possibly a reworked nail, has been inserted into end of the spindle. The end of the spindle near the bit end has two sets of three incised lines encircling the shaft. The bow is made from a rib. It has a drilled hole at both ends for attaching a hide thong.

Information from the Smithsonian

FROM CARD: "3 PARTS EACH. 1 DRILL."

  • Collection: Macfarlane Collection
  • Catalogue Number: E2072-0
  • Object Type: drill
  • Materials: hide, iron, wood, stone
  • Manufacturing Techniques: cutting, smoothening
  • Tags: tool

Rrn badge
Share this page  
Irc gray
  • Contact
  • Partners
  • Copyright
  • Admin