 |
 |
Also, yesterday - serendipity - some friendly archers popped up on my Facebook news: Leni Simons told me: "The rotation of the arrow depends on whether the feathers are taken from the right wing of the bird or the left. "Right wing feathers will make the arrow rotate clockwise, and are normally used by right handed archers. "Left wing feathers will make the arrow rotate anticlockwise and are used by left handed archers. Hope this helps." I'm sure you can make the obvious deductions! --Sue Millard MSc Daw Bank, Greenholme, Tebay, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 3TA. 01539 624636. http://www.dawbank.co.uk/ Attached PM$, MIME and other non-readable files contain information necessary for your e-mail application to read this message. They are not viruses and can be ignored. On 19 Dec 2016 at 14:25, Edouard Masson-MacLean wrote: > Dear Sue, > > Many thanks for the link. This is very interesting. > > Edouard > > > On 19 Dec 2016, at 14:00, Sue Millard <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > > http://archeryreport.com/2011/07/helical-straight-fletch-accuracy-re > > peatability/ explores the accuracy of curved vs straight fletching. > > > > Sue > > > > --Sue Millard > > Daw Bank, Greenholme, Tebay, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 3TA. 01539 > > 624636. http://www.dawbank.co.uk/ Attached PM$, MIME and other > > non-readable files contain information necessary for your e-mail > > application to read this message. They are not viruses and can be > > ignored. > > > > On 19 Dec 2016 at 13:08, Torstein Sjövold wrote: > > > >> Edouard Masson-MacLean, > >> > >> Although not related to Arctic/Sub-Arctic cultures, during my youth > >> more than 50 years ago, it was said that for making the best > >> feather-balls when playing badminton only three particular feathers > >> from the left wing of gees should be used, otherwise the > >> feather-ball would not get the optimum spin when playing, which > >> also made them expensive. > >> > >> On the other hand, as I have been affiliated with the research on > >> the Iceman Ötzi, in his quiver there were two fletched arrows. It > >> was soon realized that the feathers were not aligned along the > >> shaft, but follwed the natural curvature of the feathers in order > >> to make the arrow spin to approve the accuracy when shooting. > >> Apparently, in modern archery the same principle is used. Since > >> using natural resources in this way goes more that 5000 years back > >> in time it was certainly known when fletching arrows was a > >> profession. Although the arrow tend to curve and wobble for a while > >> when leaving the bowstring and pass the right side of the bow when > >> the archer is right-handed, it might make a difference whether the > >> arrow spins to the left or to the right. As I am personally not an > >> expert in archery, when producing modern arrows with curved > >> fletching to make the arrow spin I would assume that the direction > >> of the spin is not at random. This should be easy for you to check > >> at a store purchasing archery equipment or to contact a club > >> dealing with traditional, or perhaps even modern, competiton, > >> archery > >> > >> Torstein Sjøvold > >> Professor emeritus in Historical osteology, > >> Stockholm university > >> > >> ________________________________________ > >> Från: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites > >> <[log in to unmask]> för Serjeantson D. > >> <[log in to unmask]> Skickat: den 19 december 2016 12:07 > >> Till: [log in to unmask] Ämne: Re: predominance of left wing in > >> avian remains? > >> > >> Dear Edouard, > >> It does not sound as if your assemblage is from a literate culture > >> but this is the only practical use of feathers from the left wing > >> that I can think of. This is (more or less) what I said in Birds: > >> "Quill pen, which were used as writing implements, were made from > >> the primary feathers. Those of geese and swans are among the > >> sturdiest, though feathers of other species can be used. The second > >> and third primaries are best, with those from the left wing being > >> the ideal fit for right-handed writers, and those from the right > >> wing for left-handers. The feathers of older birds are of better > >> quality than those of juveniles, and plucked feathers are better > >> than those from slaughtered birds". See also Serjeantson, D. 2002. > >> Goose husbandry in medieval England, and the problem of ageing > >> goose bones. Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia. Proceedings of the 4th > >> meeting of the ICAZ Bird Working Group, Krakow, Poland, 11-15 > >> September, 2001. , 45, 39-54. > >> > >> Best, Dale > >> > >> > >> Dale Serjeantson > >> Visiting Fellow > >> Archaeology > >> University of Southampton > >> SO17 1BF > >> > >> [log in to unmask] > >> > >> www.southampton.ac.uk/archaeology/about/staff/dale.page > >> > >> http://pathbrite.com/BOS > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> From: zooarch > >> <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> on behalf > >> of Edouard Masson-MacLean > >> <[log in to unmask]<mailto:00000a34ad757 > >> 2ec [log in to unmask]>> Reply-To: Edouard > >> Masson-MacLean > >> <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Date: > >> Thursday, December 15, 2016 at 15:55 To: zooarch > >> <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Subject: > >> [ZOOARCH] predominance of left wing in avian remains? > >> > >> Dear Zooarchs, > >> > >> I was wondering if anyone knew of the possible cultural value or > >> technical benefits (feathers?) of the left wing in birds and gulls > >> in particular among Arctic/Sub-Arctic cultures. > >> > >> Many thanks > >> > >> Edouard > >> > >> > >> > >> ----------------------------------------------------- > >> Edouard Masson-MacLean > >> PhD Candidate > >> AHRC/LaBex Research Assistant (York Archaeological Trust / > >> Northlight Heritage) Room 208 Department of Archaeology School of > >> Geosciences University of Aberdeen St. Mary's, Elphinstone Road > >> Aberdeen, AB24 3UF Scotland, UK > >> > >> ----- > >> No virus found in this message. > >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > >> Version: 2016.0.7924 / Virus Database: 4739/13613 - Release Date: > >> 12/19/16 > >> > >> > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2016.0.7924 / Virus Database: 4739/13613 - Release Date: > 12/19/16 > >