Lesson 7: Discovery of the bow and arrow

The water was then poured into empty ostrich shells. The hole in the shell was covered with a grass or clay plug. The eggshells were buried and when the San needed the water, they unearthed the eggshells. This way the water remained cold.

Lesson 7 Discovery of the bow and arrow

Define

Bow and arrow: weapons used to hunt and kill animals Sansevieria plant: a plant with flat leaves that was used to make ropes Tracking: to recognise animal tracks and follow them

The San hunted for the food. They had exceptional hunting skills, were good trackers and able to spot wild from an impressive distance.

They did not have guns like we have today. Their weapons were made from stone and wood. They made and used bows and arrows to hunt wild animals.

Image 2.3: A hunter out on a hunt

A bow and arrow consists of:

● The bow was made from a strong, straight, flexible piece of branch. ● The string was made by cutting the back muscles of an oryx into small pieces and rolling them tightly. ● The arrows were usually made from reeds and the arrowheads were made of stone or bone.

The San placed poison just behind the arrowhead to avoid poisoning the hunter if he accidentally touched the tip. The poison was usually made from a toxic liquid found in beetle larvae, but some San groups also used snake venom.

Image 2.4.1: Traditional bow and arrow

Image 2.4.2

San men were very skilled at hunting; they knew their areas well and were adept at maintaining direction. A bow and arrow are only accurate at short distances, therefore they had to get close to the game before they could shoot. They had perfected the skill of stalking animals, shooting them and pursuing them until they collapsed. The place where the arrow hit the animal was cut out and thrown away, but the rest of the meat was eaten.

After the hunt, everyone celebrated together by dancing and singing around a fire.

Smaller animals such as rabbits, turtles, partridges and other birds were captured in traps or snares. The wet leaves of the Sansevieria plant were used as ropes for the traps.