I just read the attached article about a guy in Mississippi who found an old Native American bow estimated to be 300 - 500 years old.

https://www.internationalsportsman.com/400- year-old-bow-found-in-mississippi-creek/

400+ Year Old Bow Found in Mississippi Creek Scott Summerlin, found a 42-inch long Native American bow, likely of the Choctaw Nation A Mississippi man discovered an astonishing historical object embedded in the mud of a creek on his property. Scott Summerlin, an amateur archeologist who lives near Biloxi, Miss., told McClatchy News that he spotted a stick in the mud, quite literally, that once removed revealed itself to be a centuries-old wooden bow.

Mississippi Fossils and Artifacts Summerlin posted pictures of his discovery to the Mississippi fossils and artifacts Facebook group asking for input on precisely what it might be. Group members urged him to contact the State of Mississippi to get the proper identification and help with preservation, as wooden objects like this can deteriorate quickly.

James Starnes, director of surface geology for the Mississippi Office of Geology, connected Summerlin with experts who identified the object as a 42-inch long Native American bow, likely of the Choctaw Nation, who inhabited that portion of Mississippi before European colonization.

Scott Summerlin, found a 42-inch long Native American bow, likely of the Choctaw Nation “It is an unbelievably rare find in an area where wooden things decay quickly,” Starns told the Biloxi Sun Herald. “He found it in a black water stream, rich in tannin, and that can do neat things as far as preserving stuff. This is similar to seeing something frozen hundreds of years in the permafrost, and it is revealed when the ice melts. It’s that kind of a rarity in a subtropical environment.”

Starns said that the fact the bow was discovered in the wild, and not at an archeological site, means that there is probably an interesting story behind how it ended up locked in the mud for centuries.

According to the Sun Herald, the bow has been looked over by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, The Cobb Institute of Archaeology, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The consensus is that it is made in the tradition of early historic Native Americans and is likely between 300-500 years old.

Summerlin said that a deer head and a cat image were engraved into the bow. “I can even tell [the archer] was right-handed: There’s a thumb indentation in the wood from him shooting it so many times,” Summerlin said.

Derek Anderson, Cobb Institute archaeologist, told McClatchy News that this is the first time he’s heard of a bow being discovered. However, he said ancient paddles and canoes have been found in Mississippi waters before.

“Any time an artifact like this is found, it’s a pretty big deal,” he said. “Organic materials typically decompose and disappear from the archaeological record — particularly in the hot, humid climate here in Mississippi. On the rare occasion that a wooden artifact like this is found, it gives us insights and information that aren’t possible most of the time.”

Summerlin has donated the bow to the Choctaw Nation, who stated they plan to “preserve, study, radiocarbon date, and publish” a report on the bow “to the benefit of Native American heritage preservation.” They also plan to create a 3D replica to display on exhibit in Mississippi.

Wow, whats the chance of that. That link didnt pull up anything about that bow, was hoping for some pics.

On that website though was a article that said Frisky all over it;) https://www.internationalsportsman.com/are-vintage-bows-worth-anything/

Wow, that is quite an amazing find! Really cool that they could see the cat image and deer head, very well preserved.

Take the space out of the .../400-year... for the link to work.

Hopefully someone can post a picture of it, very interesting,

Absolutely wonderful and important piece of American history. Be nice once the conservators have done their essential work if some replicas could be made to give an idea of it's shooting characteristics.

There is a pic:

https://www.internationalsportsman.com/400-year-old-bow-found-in-mississippi-creek/

Next? Discussion if bow meets LW "traditional" standards. ;)

Outstanding! All the way around.

Quite interesting and good to hear that he turned it over to the tribe, that it was recognized and treated with care.

Awesome! Those kind of finds are rare indeed and give us a glimpse into real life means and methods of our native folks.

The cat image..? Yep, very, very cool find!

... how about some round the kitchen table with a cup of coffee thinking aloud and speculation ... we know it's a 42inch bow .... what do you think it's draw length and draw weight might have been ... plus ...anyone hazzard a guess as to the wood?

(all guess work of course)

I told him a thousand times not to use fast flight on it.;^( >>>----> Ken

I'll guess Hickory for the wood, and I'll guess 35lbs at 25" draw.

looks like he tried to use a fast flight string. chief tried to warn him but he wouldnt listen.

2 Bears can fix that ^^^^^^^

Yes Sir No problem. :^) >>>----> Ken

Its just amazing. Leaves me wishing there was more to the story. Maybe after testing and research we will get "the rest of the story"

Pretty cool! Thanks for sharing that with us. Think he would swap that for an old Bear bow?

A 3 D replica? What does this mean as far as method of replication?

I would be looking really good in that area for arrow heads! Maybe he was mad when the tip broke and just threw it in the river.

GREAT STORY & FIND! Hope that we will hear more news? GOOD HUNTING & BLESSED BE!

That is really neat stuff. If that bow could talk.

So cool !!!

Well I’ll say!

So many questions.

OK, here's a guess. I think it would not have been preserved if it had not been broken. Someone stopped using it because it broke, tossed it in the water and it got buried in mud and silt.

Too cool.

Can any primitive bowyers comment on what appears to be the scalloped edge in the one photo? Or is there something going on there or is it a photographic artifact?

That couodn't have survived that long unless it was Osage! The scallops are I believe a regional/tribal decoration mostly.

Cool beans.

That is really cool.

A scalloped edge stands out much less in the woods than a straight line.

Great find but " Is it enough poundage to kill a deer " lol

Wow that is an amazing discovery!

Also, had a few chuckles from some of the preceding commentary.....

You can bet it would kill a deer, and humans if need be.I have made plenty native bows from 36 to 48 inches long. Some with similar shape as the the one shown above. Draw lengths were from 19 to 24 inches, and poundage usually came out 35 to 50 lbs. With a stone point, and wooden arrow they were, and still are a lethal weapon. Don,t know why that native would have thrown that bow away. With just sinew it could have been fixed.

That`s an awesome find!

That`s an awesome find!

I doubt he threw it away!....and it probably split from all those years of exposure!

Is that all that was found,, are they digging around some looking for anything else that could be there.

Good thread. Interesting.

Does he get to keep it?

Great find and kudos to returning it to the Choctaw tribe

X2 what Mike T said....arrowhead search in the area for sure

Scallop marks could be sharpened stone marks from careful shaping of the bow

About the scalloped edges--A couple of decades ago an elder from the Cayuga nation in southern Ontario approached Jaap, my husband, to make several bows. He was a longhouse man. He was very specific that one side edge be scalloped. He had his reasons.

What where they Kay? Just asking.

That is remarkably well preserved and is a great find. Jawge

That is something!

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