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Quiver

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A quiver is a container for arrows or bolts.

Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns
Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns

Archers use them to carry their tools easily. These tools can stay on the body or the ground. Different types of shooting change how a quiver is used. People might choose one based on their own preference. Long ago, people made them from wood or furs. They also used leather and other natural materials. Today, many quivers are made of metal or plastic.

Many quivers work by hanging from a belt.

Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns
Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns

These can be flat or shaped like a tube. They are found in many places like China and North America. Some belt quivers tilt forward or backward. You can wear them on your hip or your back. Small pocket quivers only cover the first few centimeters of an arrow. Most bowmen in medieval Europe used these belt styles. This is shown in the famous Bayeux Tapestry.

A back quiver uses a Y-shaped harness.

7333 - Piraeus Arch. Museum, Athens - Artemis - Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto, Nov 14 2009
7333 - Piraeus Arch. Museum, Athens - Artemis - Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto, Nov 14 2009

Leather straps hold the quiver to the archer's back. The nock ends of the arrows stick out over the shoulder. This allows an archer to draw arrows very rapidly. Native peoples in Africa and North America used this style. It was also common in ancient Assyria and Greece. You might see this on statues of Artemis. She is the Greek goddess of the hunt.

Some quivers do not move with the archer. A ground quiver stays in one fixed location.

Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns
Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns

This is good for target shooting or warfare. Some are just simple stakes with a ring on top. Other designs are more elaborate to help the archer. They keep arrows close without needing to lean down. Another style is a simple cloth arrow bag. Medieval English longbowmen used these drawstring sacks. A leather spacer inside helps keep the arrows divided.

Modern technology has created the bow quiver.

Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns
Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns

This type attaches directly to the bow's limbs. A clip holds the arrows steady while moving. They are very popular with compound bow hunters today. This lets a hunter carry one piece of equipment. It does not weigh down or bother the body. In Japan, people use special designs like Yebira or Yazutsu. These help transport and protect arrows for Kyudo.

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File:Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns.jpg
Wenceslas Hollar - Quivers and hunting horns.jpg
File:7333 - Piraeus Arch. Museum, Athens - Artemis - Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto, Nov 14 2009.jpg
7333 - Piraeus Arch. Museum, Athens -...
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