Making an Eastern Woodlands Bow

In this video I make a replica of the Eastern Woodlands bow from the Catawba Tribe found on page 78 of the "Encyclopedia of Native American Bows, Arrows & Quivers - Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest" by Steve Allely and Jim Hamm.

The Pre-Columbian Catawba territory consisted mainly of present day North and South Carolina, and they were later considered by early colonists to be one of the most powerful tribes in the Southeast.

It seems that many hunters and warriors throughout the Eastern Woodlands favored a similar type of bow ~ the simple, no fuss bendy-handle bow ranging anywhere from about 45 inches to nearly 6 feet long. Hickory and Black Locust were (and still are) choice bow woods for the design, but Osage was also used.

The style is often referred to as the "Cherokee Bow", although many tribes from the area used it. It's the quintessential hunting tool; everything a bow needs, and nothing it doesn't. Most artifacts from the region are without raised handles, grip wraps, tip wraps, or elaborate decorations. There are always exceptions, of course.

The Eastern Woodlands bow is one of my all-time favorite designs. It's versatile, effective, and relatively simple to make.

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