Deer Fur Bow and Quiver Set

      This bow and quiver set is made with summer deer hair and is sinew-sewn.  The exposed, folded-over skin at the top of the bow/quiver is rubbed with red ochre.  Inside the case is a short, ash bow 37 inches long.  The arrows are not matched with blood grooves, typical of the Plains Indians.  Both arrows are missing feathers, but the sinew wrapping indicate long fletchings.  One arrow has green cresting and its sinew-wrappings are also colored with green.

   The Navajo sometimes had bow/quivers made of deer with hair.  However, this set came from a collection in Montana and the fluting of arrows, if original to this case, are typically not made by the Navajo with blood grooves.  Some Northern tribes made their bow/quiver sets with fur or hair-on hide to serve as decorations, so were not embellished with beads or porcupine-quills.