[The South Andaman bow.] The lower end of unstrung bows, showing how the loose end of the string is secured to the bow. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
Upper end of a South Andaman bow. The string at this end is never removed from the bow. Notice that in these bows the stringing and unstringing is always done at the lower end, contrary to the custom with European bows. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
[Making the South Andaman bow.] Method of holding the pig's tusk when smoothing or planing the wood of the bow. The tusk is sharpened by scraping the edge with a shell. The incised dog tooth ornamentation on the bow can be seen. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
Andamanese cutting bamboos. The long ones are used as shafts for the turtle harpoon, the short shoots as arrow shafts. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
Scope & Content:
Genre: Ethnographical Photography Andamanese Islander standing amongst a large clump of bamboos.
Andamanese cutting 'Ridi', a kind of crooked bamboo, thin and with short joints, which is generally used for arrow shafts. It has to have the buds, etc, cut off with the Cyrena shell and is then smoothed and straightened over the fire, and with the teeth Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
[Making the South Andaman arrow]. A series of notches are cut with a Cyrena shell round the end of the arrow shaft, in order that fingers holding it may not slip. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal