Quiver | Define Quiver at Dictionary.com a case for arrows Word Origin C13: from Old French cuivre; related to Old English cocer, Old Saxon kokari, Old High German kohhari, Medieval Latin cucurum Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for quiver Expand v. "to tremble," late 15c., perhaps imitative, or possibly an alteration of quaveren (see quaver ), or from Old English cwifer- (in cwiferlice "zealously"), which is perhaps related to cwic "alive" (see quick ). Related: Quivered; quivering. As a noun in this sense from 1715, from the verb. n.

"case for holding arrows," early 14c., from Anglo-French quiveir, Old French quivre, cuivre, probably of Germanic origin, from Proto-Germanic *kukur "container" (cf. Old High German kohhari, German Köcher, Old Saxon kokar, Old Frisian koker, Old English cocur "quiver"); "said to be from the language of the Huns" [Barnhart]. Related: Quiverful. Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper quiver in the Bible Expand the sheath for arrows. The Hebrew word (aspah) thus commonly rendered is found in Job 39:23; Ps. 127:5; Isa. 22:6; 49:2; Jer. 5:16; Lam. 3:13. In Gen. 27:3 this word is the rendering of the Hebrew _teli_, which is supposed rather to mean a suspended weapon, literally "that which hangs from one", i.e., is suspended from the shoulder or girdle.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary 1000+ images about Weapons of war ☺️ on Pinterest | Recurve bows, Swords and Leather There’s a million uses for duct tape. We love the idea of making survival arrow spines. | 13 Everyday Items For Survival #survivallife See More Highland Weapons | Scottish Tartans Authority Highland Weapons Here we discuss most of the early Scottish weapons referred to in contemporary literature. Some of the names are in old Scots or English and further research is underway to identify them. We are indebted to Master Armourer Thomas Yeudall of the famous Claymore Armoury in Ayrshire for help with this section. Bowis and dorlochis ~ bows and arrows. These were in use in Scotland up until the end of the 17th century and were used for hunting and in battles. Bowis is the old spelling of bows and dorlochis means quivers. Brigantiflis ~ light armour. This is a corruption of brigantine which was a kind of armour used in the 15th & 16th centuries. Also called jack, it looked a bit like a modern flak jacket and was lined with metal plates.

Any lead ball that penetrated it would be flattened like a dumdum bullet and was less likely to cause critical injury. Broadsword. From the mid 16th century, basket hilt swords were in common use in Scotland. The idea of a basket to protect the hand first came to England and then Scotland from Scandinavian and German sword makers. By the mid 17th century, ribbon baskets were being made in large quantities and by the turn of the 18th century, the Highland basket was reaching its full pattern. With the addition of the final rear wrist guard at the time of Culloden, it had fully matured. All basket hilt swords after 1746 were of military pattern. These were essential weapons for the Highlanders and the favourite fighting method was with a broadsword in one hand and a targe (shield) on the other arm.

The 1881 Ancient Scottish Weapons had this to say: The broadsword first appears in formal record in Scotland in 1643, when, along with the Lochaber axe and the Jedburgh staff, it constitutes part of the equipment of the levies then called out by the Convention of Estates, From 1582 to 1649 a "ribbit gaird" often appears as the " essay" of the armourers of Edinburgh, but in 1649 it was changed to " ane mounted sword, with a new scabbard and an Highland guard." Many of the Scottish basket-hilted swords have Ferara blades, but this does not necessarily imply that they are older than the period indicated. Nothing is certainly known of the swordsmith originally using the designation of Andrea Ferara, beyond the excellence of the blades that bear his mark by right. He is said to have been an Italian armourer of the last quarter of the sixteenth century, and to have also established an armoury in Spain.

But this is probably a mere inference, from the fact that the cognomen of the artificer is by some supposed to have been derived from the town of Ferrara in Italy, and by others from the town of Feraria in the north of Spain. It may be of some significance that the name of Ferreira is still common in Spain, and that, while Ferara sword-blades are almost unknown in Italy, the largest and finest collection of them in existence is to be found in the Royal Arsenal at Madrid. The name " Andrea Ferara em Lisboa " occurs on a sword in the possession of Brodie of Brodie and there is a sword stamped with the words " O. Cromwell L. Prokter," which also bears the armourer's mark "Andrea Ferara," and the name of the German town Solingen. The date usually attributed to the original Andrea is too early for the majority of the sword-blades bearing the designation, and the probability is, that the " Ferara " blade was manufactured by various armourers in different places to supply the demand created, in the first instance, by their superior excellence.

Picro Ferara, Cosmo Ferara, and Giovanni Fuerara, are signatures occasionally found on sword-blades, and it is quite in accordance with what is known, in other cases, that the original name Andrea should have been continued through several generations of armourers after it had become famous. Culveringis ~ type of cannon. This is the old plural for culverin which was a piece of artillery that had the same calibre and fired the same size shot as cannons but was a quarter to a third longer than a cannon. The rate of fire of such guns was very slow, possibly about 10 shots an hour and the gunnery was frequently inaccurate. It's reported that in the English Civil War, a small culverin blasted away "most of the night and day . . . the greatest execution it did . . . was a bullet shot out of it entered into a house and burst the bottom of a fryen pan." After which the Royalists withdrew "that they might eate their Christmas pyes at home . . ." The calibre of a culverin - the internal diameter of its barrel - would be about 13cm and it would weigh a massive 1800 kgs.

The weight of the shot - iron or even stone balls - was just under 7 kgs and the weight of the powder needed to propel it was just over 8 kgs. Each cannon needed a team of horses and men to get it into position and operate it and the culverin needed eight horses and up to 50 men. Biodag ~ Dirk. The Biodag (pr: beedak ) or dirk was a long stabbing knife up to 50cms long which was ideal for close quarter fighting and would be held behind the targe as mentioned above. The more affluent Highlanders would keep the dirk in a sheath often with one or more smaller knives or a knife and fork held by smaller sheathes. After the 1745 uprising, many broadswords were cut down and made into dirks. The sheath would often be hung round the Highlander's waist or attached to a special dirk belt - the criosan biodag (pr: creeshan beedak).

The 1881 Ancient Scottish Weapons had this to say: The Highland Dirk is distinguished from all other weapons of the same kind by its long triangular blade, single-edged and thick-barked; and by its peculiar handle, cylindrical, without a guard, but shouldered at the junction with the blade, the grip swelling in the middle, and the pommel circular and flat-topped. The fashion of carrying a knife and fork in the side sheaths is at least as old as the time of Charles I. Mr Boutell instances "a beautiful dagger, now the property of Mr Kerstake, that appears to have been worn by King Charles I. when he was Prince of Wales; the hilt has the plume of three ostrich feathers, and a knife and fork are inserted in the sheath." The earliest mention of the dirk as a customary part of the Highland equipment, occurs in John Major's notice of the dress and armour of the Highlanders, written in 1512, in which he says that they carry a large dagger, sharpened on one side only, but very sharp, under the belt. In the previous century Blind Harry refers to the custom of carrying a Scots Whittle under the belt.

Describing the meeting of Wallace with the son of the English Constable of Dundee, he makes the Englishman address him thus:- " He callyt on him and said Thou Scot abyde Quha dewill the grathis in so gay a gyde Ane Ersche manttll it war the kynd to wer A Scottis thewtill undyr the belt to ber Houch rewlyngis upon the harlot fete." General Wade mentions the custom of swearing on the dirk, which came to his notice among the Clan Cameron and others who followed their example in putting down the practice of taking Tascall money, or a reward given in secret for information regarding stolen cattle. " To put a stop to this practice which they thought an injury to the tribe, the whole clan of the Camerons (and others since by their example) bound themselves by oath never to take Tascall money.

This oath they take upon a drawn dagger, which they kiss in a solemn manner, and the penalty declared to be due to the breach of the said oath is to be stabbed with the same dagger; this manner of swearing is much in practice on all other occasions to bind themselves to one another." Halbard The halberd or battle-axe was a Swiss invention which was a combination of spear and axe on a long handle. It was a direct descendant of the old Gallowglass two-handed, 12 inch bladed axe and was particularly effective against horsemen since the foot soldier could cut and thrust with it. The 1881 Ancient Scottish Weapons had this to say on axes: The Axe is one of the earliest of weapons. The war-axe of iron, in its earlier forms, differed in no respect from the same implement used as a tool. The earliest form of the weapon-tool is a common axe-head longer and narrower in the shank than those now in use. Such axes are depicted as weapons in the Bayeux tapestry. War-axes of a later time were furnished with prolongations in the line of the shaft and hammers or spikes on the hack of the blade.

The Jedhurgh Staff was a long-handled axe with a curved or crescentic blade, with or without a back-spike. The Lochaber Axe had an elongated blade usually rounded at the upper end, and the staff was furnished with a hook on the end. The axe and "broggit staff" appeared in 1425 as the equipment of those who were not archers. In the weaponshaws of 1535 halberts appear along with two-handed swords. The Lochaber Axe and the Jeddard Staff appear in 1643 in company with the broadsword. In 1647 it was appointed that seventy-two men in each regiment should carry halbards, and in 1650 Lord Lorne requests a supply of partisans, from the store at Aberdeen, for the equipment of his regiment of Life Guards. Dag ~ Pistol. Pistol - dag (pr: daag) - was much handier than the long flintlock musket of the time which was too large and cumbersome for war. Scottish flintlock pistols were unique in that they were all steel and they were very popular weapons with the Highlanders.

Many drawings of Highlanders show a couple of pistols tucked into their belt and a powder horn hanging round their neck. They also carried a leather pouch which contained the lead shot. With the old pistols you could only fire one shot and then the gun had to be reloaded. If you were in a battle, you couldn't ask your enemy to hang on whilst you reloaded, so the Highlanders would throw them away as soon as they'd fired them and then charged with their other weapons - broadsword, dirk and targe. Their reasons for throwing them away rather then tucking them back in their belts were very practical - if they won the battle they could always come back and find them. If they lost the battle, they could run away a lot quicker without being weighed down by them. 1881 Ancient Scottish Weapons: Highland Pistols are wholly formed of metal, usually of steel, sometimes of brass, and occasionally in part of both these metals. Like most other portions of the Highland equipment they arc always remarkable for the excellence of their manufacture and the beauty of their decoration. A Mr Glen has a wheel-lock pistol of the time of Charles I on which the armourer's mark is a pair of bagpipes and the initials C. L.

Logan states that the manufacture of pistols was commenced at Doune about 1646 by Thomas Guide who had learned his trade at Muthil. One of his apprentices, John Campbell, also became a famous maker. John Murdoch succeeded him. Campbell's and Murdoch's pistols are more common than Caddell's. Bissett occurs frequently on Highland pistols in the Tower Armoury. A less known maker is Jo. Chrystie. A brace of his pistols are in the collection of Sir J. Noel Paton, U.S.A. They have ram's horn butts, and are of such extraordinary beauty of design, delicacy of workmanship, and perfection of condition, that Sir Noel says of them in his " Private Catalogue " (so often quoted in the pages of this work), " I have nowhere seen pistols more, or indeed so, beautiful as these." Another maker whose work is not widely known is Alexander Shireff, or Shiress of Old Meldrum.

In 1650 the horseman's equipment consisted of pistols, lance, broadsword, and steel cap, and the price of a pair of pistols with holster and spanner was fixed at £14, The price of a pair of Doune pistols according to Logan, varied from four to twenty-four guineas. Slevis of plate or mailye ~ Armoured sleeves of steel plate or chain mail. Speris of sex elnis land. Spears of six elns long. Eln was another name for the old measurement an ell. An English ell was 45" long (1.1m) whereas the Scottish ell was four fifths of that - 91cm. That makes the spears almost 5½ m long. Powder horns (from the 1881 Ancient Scotish Weapons) The Highland Powder Horn is distinguished from all others by its peculiarities of form and ornament. It is made from a neat's horn, flattened, and fitted with a wooden bottom, and a plug for the mouth, which is frequently also encircled with a mounting of lead.

No portion of the Highlander's equipment appears to have been more prized or more beautifully decorated, and no example of the beauty and grace of the prevailing style of decoration is more effective than that of King Charles's " Master of the Game," shown below. The estimation in which these highly decorated objects of home manufacture, - the designing and engraving of which was wholly of individual effort - may be inferred from the mottoes they bear, if not from the careful work and original character of the designs. One commemorates a friendly gift, another records the owner's declaration :- " I love the As my Wyfle I'll keip the As my Lyffe." and adds the sententious motto:- " A man his mynd should never sett Wpon A thing he can not gett." Tua handit swerdis ~ the Claymore. The famous two-handed sword, the Claymore, (claidheamohmor - great sword) first made its appearance around 1490 and was developed by the Hebridean Gallowglass warriors. This early Highland version measured between 53 and 60 inches overall.

About 90 years later came a new version with a slightly shorter blade of between 51 and 57 inches. This was developed by the Redshanke mercenaries who fought throughout Europe, but by then, musket power was becoming the new weapon of war. The overall length of the Lowland two-handed sword was between 53 and a massive 75 inches . This sword was developed by Gallowglass and Lowland mercenaries serving in Europe with the Swiss and Landsknechts mercenaries of the 15th & 16th centuries. The Life of a Long Sword: the blade would be commissioned from Solingen in Germany by a particular Gallowglass warrior. Solingen blades were very expensive but a blade of such quality could last 250 years. After its arrival in Scotland, the blade would be given to one of the many sword cutlers of The Isles and assembled with a Scottish made hilt to the old specification. After its use as a long sword, probably by about the mid 17th century, it would have been ground down and fitted with a basket. When its life as a broad sword was over it would have been further modified and would probably have ended up as a dirk.

The blade lengths would have been as follows: Long sword - 40 inches. Broad sword - 32". Dirk - 17" From the 1881 Ancient Scottish Weapons: The great two-handed swords of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, also appear to have been popular in the Highlands and it is these swords, and not the basket-hilted broadswords, that are the true Highland swords to which the poetical name of claymore may be fitly applied. Gordon of Rothiemay refers to them in the middle of the seventeenth century, as still used by some of the Highlanders of Aberdeenshire, while others used the broadsword. The pictures of the Campbells of Glenurchy in the " Black Book of Taymouth," drawn about the end of the sixteenth or beginning of the seventeenth century, represent them and their followers with two-handed swords. In the inventory of the "geir" left by Sir Colin Campbell at Balloch and Finlarig in 1640, there is :- "Ane two-bandit sword, the hand quhairof is overlaycd with velvet.

"Ane uther two-handit sword with ane loose hand to be eikit thairto." And in another inventory of 1605 there is a two-handed sword specified as "gilt with gold," The swords represented in the pictures of the " Black Book" were probably drawn from the originals in the armoury at the time. They all have straight guards except the two which the artist has placed in the hands of the first Colin of Glenurchy and the first Earl of Argyle, which have the guards curved towards the point. The two-handed sword first appears in the weapon-shaws of the first-half of the sixteenth century. Sghian Dubh. Black in name and black in purpose, the sghian dubh (pr: skeean dew) was a killing knife secreted in a small holster up a sleeve or near an oxter (armpit). Four to six inches in length, this close-quarter knife was for use when no other weapons were to hand and it is believed that it became more commonly used in the late 18th century between 1746 and 1782 when the Hanoverian Government banned weapons throughout Scotland.

If a Highlander felt in danger in the company he was in, he would sit with his arms folded with one hand on the sghian dubh so that he could pull it out in a flash Dubh is the Gaelic for black and traditionally the handle and scabbard were made from dark coloured woods and leather. After the raising of the proscription (the ban) on weapons and Highland Dress, the sghian dubh came out of hiding as it were and was then worn mainly in the stocking, right or left side, depending on the individual's preference. In the 19th century when the wearing of the sghian dubh became more decorative and less functional, the hilt for daytime would be made from stag horn and the one worn in the evening from ebony and decorated with jewels. Muskets. Muskets though exhibiting less of the peculiar decoration of the dirk, the powder-horn, and the pistol, are nevertheless distinguished by their ornate character. They are fewer in number because they were more costly weapons, and their use was confined to the comparatively wealthy.

The inventories of the Houses of Balloch and Finlarig show that they were made in Dundee, and that their ornamentation consisted of engraved work and inlaid work in bone and mother-of-pearl. The details of the ornamentation of the three specimens figured on Plate XXX. will show how rich and beautiful the decoration occasionally was. The inscription on the barrel of one shows that it was made in Germany to the order of John Grant, Sheriff of Inverness, but the date, 1434, is much too early for the piece as it now exists. The Highland Targe or Target (Shield) (from the 1881 Ancient Scotish Weapons) The form of the Highland Target is round, usually from 19 to 21 inches diameter. It is constructed of two layers of some light wood, often of fir, the grain of the one layer crossing that of the other angularly, and the pieces dowelled together. Over the wood, a covering of leather is lightly stretched for the front of the target, and a piece of hide, often of calf-skin, with a stuffing for the back.

A handle, sometimes of leather or iron and an arm-strap were fixed at the back, near the opposite sides of the circumference of the target. Occasionally there were two arm-straps and sometimes instead of arm-straps, a sleeve of leather was fastened to the back of the target. A boss of brass usually occupies the centre of the front of the target. The boss was occasionally pierced for a spike which screwed into a socket at the base of the boss. When not in use the spike was carried in a sheath at the back of the target. The ornamentation of these targets is peculiar and highly effective. The central boss is frequently surrounded by other bosses placed in the centres of contiguous circles defined by rows of nail-heads. The spaces between the circles are decorated by studs, or by segmental plates of brass, fastened with studs in the centre, and with nails round the borders, and ornamented with pierced or engraved work. These plates, when of pierced work, were placed over a lining of scarlet cloth, which showed through the openings and sometimes the bosses themselves were thus pierced and lined.

Occasionally the decoration is confined to the formation of simple geometric patterns, on the face of the target, by the disposition of the studs and nail-heads. Sometimes this simple form of decoration is conjoined with the use of nails and studs but more frequently, the surface of the leather covering is tooled with a variety of patterns, disposed in symmetrical spaces. The style of this ornament corresponds to that engraved on the Powder Horns and Brooches; and the designs in general have a close affinity with those of the later stone and metal work of the Celtic school of art, as exemplified in the West Highland Crosses, the Crosier of St Fillan, and the Bell-shrine of Kirkmichael Glassary. The use of the target in Scotland was not confined to the Highlands. The statutory equipment appointed by the Act of 1425, for such yeomen or burgesses as were not archers, was "sword and buckler, and a good axe or broggit staff;" and in 1481 the axemen who had neither spear nor bow were required to provide themselves with targes "of tree "or leather, according to patterns which were sent to each of the sheriffs.

The watchers of the burgh of Peebles, in 1569, were armed with jack and spear, sword and buckler. In an account of Queen Mary's journey to Inverness in 1562, the English Ambassador, Randolph, writing to Cecil * describes her cheerful behaviour in the midst of troubles, and says that " she repented nothing but (when the lords and others at Inverness came in the morning from the watch) that she was not a man to know what life it was to lie all night in the fields, or to walk on the causeway with a jack and knapschalle, a Glasgow buckler and a broadsword." It may be inferred from this incidental expression that such bucklers as were then used at Inverness, by the " lords and others," were manufactured in Glasgow. But the probability is, that the manufacture of the Highland targets, as we now know them, was not confined to any particular locality. That they were made in large numbers, on short notice, in 1745, is shown by the following entries in the accounts of Laurence Oliphant of Gask as paymaster for Prince Charles at Perth :- 1745 Nov. 15.

To Wmn. Lindsay, wright, for six score targets, £30.14.6 1746. Jan. 16. To Win. Lindsay for 242 targets- To 24 Hyds leather from the tannage, £16.16.0 To Goat skins, wood, nails, &c,, , £15.10.0 To two Officers targets pr. order, ... £1 Feb. 3. To Wm. Lindsay for paying leather of 200 targes, £16.16.0 It appears from this that the cost of two officer's targets, made to order, was but 10 shillings each and the cost of the others about 5 shillings each. It appears also that targets were made in Edinburgh in 1745. In the orders for the Highland Army of l0th and 11h October 1745, given at Holyrood House, Colonel Lord Ogilvy orders that all the officers of his regiment shall " provide themselves in targes from the armourers in Edinburgh."* These, however, were probably made to order like those at Perth.

The older targets fared badly after the Disarming Acts, Boswell, describing the weapons in Dunvegan Castle in 1773, says there is hardly a target now to be found in the Highlands; after the Disarming Acts they made them serve as covers to their buttermilk barrels. In the case of two of the finest of those figured by Mr Drummond only the ornamented leather remained. Another of the finer specimens was rescued from a coal-cellar in 1870. Targets were carried by some of the men of the Black Watch when first embodied in 1740, and Grose mentions that he remembered "many private men of the old Highland Regiment in Flanders, in the years 1747 and 1748, armed with targets which, though no part of their uniform, they were permitted to carry." As a registered charity, we rely on both private and business members to fulfill our aims. Joining us offers you many great benefits but perhaps most importantly your membership directly contributes to ensuring that one of Scotland's most treasured icons is maintained for future generations of Scots, both home and abroad.

All these excellent drawings were by James Drummond RSA in 1881 and reproduced in a book entitled Ancient Scottish Weapons of which only 500 were ever printed. A CD of it is available (D-642) from Unicorn Ltd of Auburn, Alabama - Our knowledge at the STA on exactly how these weapons were employed, is by necessity, rather sketchy. If any of you readers have a more detailed knowledge of this era of warfare, then we would be very pleased to hear from you. Medieval Armor, Garb, Belts, Pouches, Shields, Weapons & More at Medieval Archery Armour Usually archers try to stay as far away from combat as possible. But as countless scenarios in games, film, and fiction have shown, that is not always do-able. So from time to time, archers must don armor to keep themselves safe. When you face that moment, you can turn to Medieval Archery to provide you with the leather, mail, and plate armor you need to stay safe in combat while still utilizing your bow to its fullest. Belts & Pouches Belts are not just for holding up your trousers.

In archery, a belt might be for supporting your quiver or for carrying the pouch that contains your extra arrowheads - both are two things that no medieval archer would likely be without! And that is why Medieval Archery carries not just belts, but belts and pouches and other odds and ends that you can secure about your waist - so that as an archer, you are always prepared for what lies ahead. Medieval Garb As an archer, if you are planning on doing any reenacting, a historic longbow and good medieval garb are the first steps towards creating a authentic look. And Medieval Archery can help you with both of those! In this section you will find our medieval clothing, offered for both men and women so that any archer can easily craft their own ensemble. Shields Nothing beats a good shield. After all, who needs armor when you can deflect the blow and not even get hit? At Medieval Archery, we offer a selection of fine medieval shields in both wood and steel that are perfect for archers to carry and use, as well as for medieval enthusiasts to use when it comes to creating a fine archery theme in their very own castle!

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There was quite some overlap in the overall style of bow cases and quivers from Korea to the far East, all the way to the Ottoman empire to the West, but the sizes, material and decorative patterns differed from culture to culture. The bow case of the Qing dynasty is a cloth or leather "holster" that covers only the bottom half of the bow, leaving the grip exposed so it could be drawn out efficiently. The open quivers used by the Qing army are rather short in relation to the arrows, leaving most of the shafts of the arrows exposed and spread out like a fan, so they can easily be picked out one by one. Although some elements like the material of fittings for certain ranks were more or less stipulated by regulation, we see a great variety of materials, styles, and decorative patterns used, reflecting the personal tastes of soldiers who were often given a monthly fee in silver to purchase and maintain their own equipment. Among antiques, the higher grade bow cases and quivers are now rather over-represented because those were the ones that were taken from China as war trophies or purchased by early collectors, while most of the simpler equipment made for soldiers was lost over time because hardly anybody thought about keeping them for later generations.

As a result, I've been able to examine and photograph far more bow cases and quivers of high ranked Qing officers, mainly the imperial guard, than I have of soldiers. However, the general construction of bow cases and quiver of the Qing is the same, difference is mostly in materials and decoration. An archery set for the regular soldier from a 1899 edition of the Da Qing Huidian Tu or "Illustrated Statutes of the Great Qing". It reproduces a 1759 manuscript commissioned by the Qianlong emperor (ruled 1736-1796), and represents the style of that period. Jebele The Manchu quiver is called jebele in Manchu, which simply means "right hand" or "right hand side", indicating just how deeply archery was engrained in their culture. The Chinese term for this type of quiver is 撒袋 (sā dài) which means "spreading bag", named after the manner in which the quiver spreads the arrows out. It is typically made with a wooden base with leather or rawhide folded around it. The leather may or may not be covered with fabric, such as velvet.

The arrows are held in place between thick fabric, often wool, and one or two fasteners that go through the top of the quiver to tighten the whole. Some of these are threaded, with wing nuts, to squeeze the arrows tightly in place. Quivers of the first half of the Qing would also often have three slits cut in the front for extra arrows or otherwise have a double front, the outer part covering the bottom half of the from of the quiver, to put at least two extra arrows in. Quiver fittings can be made of simple brass sheet or forged iron, to cast brass or pierced iron work which was gilt for the higher ranks. A quiver belonging to the imperial guard of the late 19th century. Once covered with black velvet, most of that is gone now. On the front are three stylized longevity symbols. Inside cushion missing. Sold through Mandarin Mansion . Anonymous private collection. Extra pockets Manchu quivers always have a number of flexible pockets attached to their backs with two or three metal hinges. Many antique quivers have lost these back pockets but the holes where the hinges were can still be seen.

The pockets are made so they can expand to hold some of the many special arrows the Manchus had with larger heads such as whistling arrows , blunts, or other specialized arrows. There are almost always three such pockets, although I've seen rare examples with two or up to four pockets. A quiver that belonged to the Qianlong emperor. He wore this set while performing the tri-annual Grand Review of the Troops in Beijing. Notice the felt inner cushions and the three soft pockets on the right. Palace Museum, Beijing. A quiver belonging to the imperial guard of the early 19th century. Usually these come only in red or black, worn in different occasions. This particular example was once a maroon red velvet, a color I had not seen before. Otherwise it exactly follows the patterns of the other examples in various museum and private collections. From my own collection. Manchu officer Badai and his quiver. The quiver represents the standard quiver model in use in the mid 18th century, the height of the Qing's military power. Note the three slits in the front and the three pockets on the back that were common for this era. Painting held in the Asian Art Museum of Berlin.

Badai was honored for breaking enemy lines single handedly. According to the poem accompanying the scroll, he fell from his horse, hastily dressed his wounds and continued shooting: "Many were felled as he snapped the string of his bow" . Quiver suspension Manchu quivers are suspended from two rings on the right side of the quiver, and one or two straps to counter balance them on the back. These counter balancing straps are very important because a full Manchu quiver would otherwise topple from the weight of the arrows. Like with the pockets, many old quivers have lost these points, but the holes where they were attached can still be seen. A set of bow case, quiver and belt in the Charles E. Grayson collection . This type of bow case and quiver would have been worn by the imperial guard of the late 19th century. The bow case is suspended from a fittings that can slide over the belt. Also note the extra straps on the back to counterbalance the quiver. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Stephanoff . Quiver contents Qing soldiers could choose to fill their quivers with either standard military arrows or military broadheads.

The broadheads do more damage but have a more limited effective range while the standard military arrows had more penetrating power and flew further. Because Manchu arrows are rather large and heavy, they never carried many of them. My own quiver weighs exactly 2 kilo when I fill it to it's maximum capacity of 16 arrows. A typical quiver contained anywhere from 9 to 19 arrows as far as I've been able to determine, the regulation pattern quivers of the imperial guard carried exactly 13 arrows when they rode out to accompany the emperor on longer journeys: 5 military arrows called "plum needle", 5 broadheads, and in their three special pockets a hare fork arrow, a whistle arrow and a whistling arrow ). This may not seem like a lot, but Manchus never seemed to have went for the hails of arrows one regularly sees in movies. Instead, the Qing mounted archers singled their targets out and went after them on horseback, shooting concentrated shots at moderate "sure" distances, just like they did during the hunt. My own quiver full of arrows, 16 in this case. It's a replica I got from Magén who runs Fairbow .

Officer Machang pulling an arrow from his Manchu quiver. This quiver has a double back with space for two extra arrows. This is a portion from the painting "Machang lays low the enemy ranks" where Machang is depicted chasing an enemy soldier, killing him with three arrows. Painting by Giuseppe Castiglione, ink on silk, 1759. Painting held in the National Palace Museum of Taipei . "Dasūwan" in Manchu, means the left side, opposite of jebele for quiver. The bow cases are of elegantly simple design; cut out of leather or rawhide, sometimes covered with fabric like velvet, or made of fabric alone with leather patches at the corners and bottom to strengthen the whole. They are folded on the string side while the other side is sown together with a separate piece between it that can expand to accommodate the width of the bow. A unique feature of the Manchu bow case is a ring, often oval in shape, that is designed to hold the bare saber. It is called the dashūwan i muheren in Manchu. Manchu cavalry are sometimes seen carrying the saber in this way right before commencing a battle.

Advantages of this setup are that the saber is easy to pull, and a base saber hanging down from the bow case would also discourage infantry to try to pull the rider down from it. Two antique bow cases, recently sold through Mandarin Mansion . Left: Imperial guard black velvet and leather quiver. Black velvet bow cases and quivers were by regulation worn by the imperial guard during sacrificial ceremonies and court assemblies. Right: Exquisite dark brown velvet and leather bow case of a high ranked officer of the 18th century, with fine gilt fittings. Detail of the copperplate engraving print of the battle of Yesil-köl-nor, that took place in September 1759. On this occasion, ten thousand Qing soldiers met an equally large force of Muslim Turkmen, capturing 2000 of them and killing many. It shows a group Manchu soldiers riding into battle with their sabers through the rings on their bow cases. Standard configuration with the saber worn hilt backwards. It could be drawn quickly from behind the back, as was observed by Father Martino Martini in the 17th century. Another method of drawing was to move the hilt forward and draw the weapon edge up for a downward cut. Battle configuration.

This may have been used when meelee combat was likely to occur. Perhaps similar to the order "affix bajonets" among armies of gunners today. "Aksargan" aksargan . Bow case and quiver are suspended from a special belt made of leather, or leather covered with fabric. A commonly encountered form of such a belt consists of a piece of leather between two layers of fabric, often silk on the outside and cotton or linen on the inside. The fittings are peened with pins that go through the outer layer and the leather. Most belts close with a hook on the right side that goes into one of three loops on the left side. On the right side there are three to four loops to which the quiver straps are attached. These loops may all be on separate fittings, or one of them may be attached to the underside of the hook. The two loops closest to the hook side attach to the two loops on the right side of the quiver. The one or two additional loops attach to one or two rings on the back of the quiver to counterbalance it when full of arrows. On the left side of the belt is usually only one fitting to hold the bow case.

On some belts, this fitting is made so it can slide over the belt to change position, on others it is fixed. An 18th century archer's belt from my own collection. The thick brass fittings are engraved with eternal knots, with some of the original gold remaining. The outer belt is of thick woven silk, with a leather inner belt and cotton or linen lining. Regulations for materials Regulations for bow cases and quivers, at least as far as the metal parts concerned, were rather similar to those of the fittings on their sabers. According to the regulations, ordinary soldiers were only allowed to have unadorned brass fittings on their bow case, quiver, belt and saber. Low ranked officers could have engraved brass fittings. In practice, iron fittings are also encountered. Only the higher officers had the right to wear fittings with gold or silver, with entirely gilt metal being reserved for the highest ranks. In the early days, the metal was usually gilt iron, later gilt copper or brass became the norm. Certain styles or combinations of materials were reserved for the imperial guard, who had several sets to fit a number of occasions ranging from attending auspicious ceremonies to escorting the emperor on longer tours outside the capital.

Various semi-precious stones and some types of fabric were preserved for princely ranks, and only the emperor himself could wear fittings studded with the so called "Eastern pearls", large freshwater pearls from the Manchurian rivers, but he only wore those on certain occasions like the tri-annual Grand Review of the Troops in Beijing. Not everything the emperor had was flashy though, on some occasions he was promoting the old and simple ways of their frugal Manchu ancestors, in which he gave the right example by carrying a simple leather bow case and quiver with bare iron mounts. Apart from regulation pattern bow cases and quivers, we see a large variety of non-regulation pattern equipment that range from the simple and practical to the flamboyant. A bow case and quiver for the princely ranks of qinwang and junwang , originally titles for uncles, nephews and brothers of the emperor, but on occasion also bestowed to men for exceptional service to the Qing. The "mountain pattern" silk brocade covering of the quiver matches that of their ceremonial armor. See the whole suit plus bow case at the Brooklyn Museum, New York, U.S.A. .

A bow case and quiver set that belonged to the Qianlong emperor, worn at the Grand Review of the Troops in Beijing. Palace Museum, Beijing. Some more examples A 19th century quiver with simple but well-made iron fittings. Unfortunately the back pockets went lost, along with the rings for the counter balancing straps on the back. Currently owned by Wen Chieh Huang. A quiver sold on auction at Hermann Historica . It is of general Manchu design but the decoration reminds strongly of Mongolian work, suggesting it was perhaps used by one of the many Mongolian bannermen serving the Qing. Especially studded leather and the hook shaped fitting on the upper left of the quiver are indicative of Mongolian design. A Buryat Mongolian quiver from the Ingo Simon collection, now housed in the Manchester Archery Collection in the Manchester Museum. Often mistaken for Manchu quivers, but they are narrower and rounder and always made of leather. A quiver part of a set of a red velvet bow case and quiver, belonging to an imperial guard officer of the 19th century.

The red color was worn by the imperial guard when escorting the emperor to the Yuanmingyuan and back, when clearing the streets for an imperial procession, and several other occasions. Recently sold through Mandarin Mansion I hope you enjoyed this article! If there are any questions, let me know and I might expand upon this. Also, if you have any bow cases or quivers to share, I'd love to see the pictures. More about archery equipment: Nomadic Archery Accessories History | Quivers and Arrows shop Quivers and Arrows shop Arrows and quivers for the traditional archery Search for: The Evolution of the Quiver Along with the evolution of armors the evolution of weapon owners started out as well. Infantry archers carried the arrows –seldom accompanied by the bow itself– in the quiver affixed on their back by a shoulder belt, while chariot archers profited from the advantages of the battle vehicles, and affixed the quivers on the side of the carts. In these flat cases, that usually aligned to the side of the chariots, many different weapons were held: bows, arrows, spears, and the typical Hungarian battle ax, the „fokos”.

In some of the high relieves it is also distinct that for the quartering of different types of armors different compartments were made. Only about five hundred years after the big military achievement of the 2nd Millennium, namely the chariot archery, appear the horse troopers. This period, from the 9th to the 13th Century B.C. is generally known to be the time of the evolution of nomad shepherding in the steppes. Horse riding becomes widespread in this epoch gaining greater and greater significance. Today it still can not be decided with certainty whether horseback combat in the great empires of the antiquity developed from the Assyrian culture, or it was the invention of the nomad equestrian people, who were forced by their lifestyle to be ever ready for battle. One of the first equestrian archer nations were the Assyrians. Their bows were relatively long, arched, and their arrows were held in back-quivers . This posterior positioning of the arrows is rather inconvenient in case of horsemen, since it interferes with the fighters’ motion. It is due to this fact that the latter method went quickly out of fashion.

From the back-quiver to the combined standby quiver Apart from the small bow protectors of the Egyptian infantry archers, that was only meant to shield the bow from the hands’ sweat, short after the evolution of the arrow case (also known as the quiver), came the next phase of development: compartments in which it was possible to carry both the arrows and the bow. The predecessors of the combined quiver are to be found in Asia Minor, more precisely in Mesopotamia. In this area of constant battles and conflicting nations armors were quick to improve. The Assyrian developed an outstandingly high standard of combat techniques. Already in the first representations of battle chariots quivers and different compartments are visible affixed onto the side of the vehicles carrying all sorts of weaponry such as bows, arrows, spears, mauls etc. Similar cases or compartments on the side of the battle cars can be traced all the way to the 7th Century. It is often apparent in the imagery, that the bow and the arrows are held in the same case, only in different compartments. Almost contemporary to the evolution of the complex chariot-cases infantry archers as well started to hold their bows in their spacious back-quivers .

Beginning form the 7th Century nomadic representations are more and more likely to depict images of bows held in back-quivers , thus these cases can be already looked upon as combined-quivers. Both foot and horse wore them on belts flung over the left shoulder. As it was mentioned before soldiers were constraint to carry numerous types of weapons in their back-quivers . The princes’ cavalry were escorted by lance-bearers carrying all the lords’ armors. The simple warrior couldn’t afford to do so: in order to keep his hands free –especially as long as cavalry was concerned—kept all of his weaponry in the case on his back. In Mesopotamia the same procedure took place concerning the back-quiver as mentioned earlier regarding the chariot-quivers: it first became a generic armor-case, later evolved into the complex compartment for bow and arrow, the so called combined back-quiver. Outside of Mesopotamia the combined case for carrying the bow and arrow appears in 6th Century Minor Asia, in Klazomenai, on the sarcophagi depicting Kimmer horsemen. The shape of this case completely corresponds to that of the back-quiver.

The Kimmer riders of the steppes however, as an innovation, wore these quivers on their waist belt . The combined quivers suitable for carrying the bow and arrow therefore preceded the appearance of equestrian nations. Thus the equestrian people had practically inherited the infantry’s and the chariots’ combined back-quivers in their unchanged form,only that they placed them on their waist belts making them more suitable for horse riding. Hence that when riding it is not favorable if the rider’s back in under a lot of weight since the control of the horse doesn’t only depend on the rein, it is just as much a subject to the motion of the shoulders and the waist. Moreover, weapons carried by the waistline provide a more balanced posture to the rider, since the center of gravity moves lower, underneath the horse’s backline. Amongst the equestrian people the quiver affixed to the waist belt dispersed quickly, and became completely common during the 5th Century BC. In the images of the Scythians of Pontus that were made around the 6th and 5th Century BC. only waist-quivers can be found with a sort of cover on top.

The tiltable cover overlay (thus protected) both the bow and the archer. In the following century, 4th century BC., that is, it was a sort of open and combined compartment that became widespread in the Eastern and Western Scythian steppes. It covers approximately two thirds of the bow, the rest sticks out. Regarding their material, quivers must have been made of thick leather and were most definitely strengthened by fish bones. Relying on the archeological findings we can deduce that the external side was richly decorated by embroidery, leather overlays, more over for the nobility golden plates were used as well. In fact it took quite a time until cases for bows and arrows became fashionable. It was especially the bow that found its place in the collective quiver quite late. It wasn’t until around 2000 BC that bows were to be found in the complex weapon cases on the side of the chariots, and it took even some more time until they moved onto the warriors’ back. Therefore the collective case for the bows and arrows developed by the First Millennium BC by the 6th Century BC moved onto the waist-belt of the horsemen first with, later without a cover.

Question: What weapon is traditionally held in a quiver?
Answer: Arrow