Exilian
Art, Writing, and Learning: The Clerisy Quarter => History, Science, and Interesting Information - The Great Library => Topic started by: comrade_general on July 15, 2012, 02:45:54 PM
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I used to visit this website when I got bored with college. So while studying all sorts of modern technologies I was reading about atlatls, bone knives, tanning hides, making cordage, and primitive fire-starting.
http://www.primitiveways.com/
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It's a little sad that where the rest of the world was off doing cool things like building pyramids and great walls and creating empires, Australia's historical inhabitants were still braining each other with the same killing implements used by Australopithecines about 3 million years beforehand.
We're soooo interesting....
Ancient Egyptian Warrior: "I have a khopesh!"
Ancient Roman Legionnaire: "Die Egyptian scum, I have a gladius!"
Ancient Hunnic Horseman: "Die Roman scum, I shoot you with a bow!"
Tang Chinese Warrior: "Die Hunnic barbarian, I shoot you with a rocket launcher!"
Feudal Japanese Samurai: "Die Chinese scum, I have a katana!"
Napoleonic British Redcoat: "Die Japanese scum, I have a musket!"
Australian Aborigine: "I'll hit you with a rock!"
For what is supposedly the oldest culture on Earth, they're a bit pathetic.
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Be careful when you try to rate a culture based on their weapon technology. ;)
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Yeah, I must say your comment was a bit biased on your personal opinion of Australian Aborigines :P but it's understandable, I feel the same for the natives here.
Actually, I've always found fascinating to live of the land... I've always had it at mind, but I suck at it :P I guess it's my failed dream, perhaps?
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Not failed, just unrealized. ;)
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Yeah, you should go for it Debux. ;)
As to the replies to my comment, it was three thirty in the morning and I was in a bad mood. That's not to say I disagree with the sentimets expressed but I wouldn't usually make such a comment.
I have to say though that NO advances in ANYTHING AT ALL after 2000 odd years is a bit sad. I mean they STILL draw/paint like two year olds... :P
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But there are no nice, green forests here! We only have old and boring semi-desertic climate, with low trees and lots of scrub, unless near a water source. If I ever did it, it would be in the typical image of a lush, dense european forest ;D
Tsk tsk! You should be logged on at that time, young man! :P
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A lot of ancient Chilean culture was much more advanced though if I remember rightly, when the littoral regions were more habitable than they are today. Similarly, we don't know that the aboriginal culture didn't suffer some collapse at some stage. Also, being fair, in terms of productivity etc the Australian aborigines drew the global short straw; most of Australia is pretty inhospitable and the fertility of the land is pretty poor, plus there being a lack of animals suitable for domestication. I'd probably guess that was the main factor; Australia just couldn't support larger population structures early on due to its natural state. Also, to get to the really important point, Australian aborigines have freaking didgeridoos. :P
Back onto the original topic, the website looks awesome; when I've got this piano exam over I might take a look at doing some such stuff...
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Some of modern Chile was part of the Inca Empire yes?
Right on Jubal! Get your caveman on! ;D
The fire piston looks particularly interesting.
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I wasn't saying that chilean natives were less advances, but I don't like them, especially when you compare what they were able to achieve to what their european/asian counterparts did (even some of their american siblings achieved much more!). Some of them did hold out quite a lot against the Spanish, what makes me rather happy though (albeit it just delayed their fate). Sadly, they are a minority today (thanks to the marvelous and culturally-interested governments our country has had), as they were oppressed (even exterminated, as some say) until today. But your far-reaching knowledge astounds me Jubal (you too CG, but Jubal's country of residence being further away gives him more merit ;D ). And yes, I believe part of it was loosely attached to the incan empire (now that I come to think about it, I don't recall that being mentioned in history class, maybe we're too nationalist and proud to say that part of our country today was so many times under Peruvian control :P )
And back to topic... did you ever do any of these things CG? You never said anything about that aspect :P
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Knowing things is my specialism. :P
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I've tried to make bows and atlatls. Mostly I just like reading about the stuff.
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The biggest thing I ever did related to this was a bow, out of a piece of wood I found with my dad years ago. To be honest, my dad did most of the job :P Now that I think about it, I might try to do a real "longbow" now, but more for my size (it was only like 80cm high :P like 2-3 feet, right? )
But at least you tried to do something really useful :P
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That would be referred to as a "self bow". I do own a 68" longbow (~173 cm), but I didn't make it. I suppose I should try to start a fire someday using one of the friction methods. I like reading about flintknapping too because of the arrowheads we find around here (as seen in the backyard artifacts thread). What I really like to do is walk around the woods until I find that perfect spot to set up camp, whether I actually do or not. ;)
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I've got 72" fibreglass longbow with a 70lb draw weight and a big, heavy compound bow with the pullies and such with a 180lb draw. That second one's a bitch to draw, to the point where I can't actually do it. The only reason I own it is cause I inherited it from me dad who is probably still able to draw it cause he's built like a bear.
But I can draw the longbow. I even used to be a good shot with one. I remember at school in year 10 we did archery for Phys Ed. We had to use the school's self bows which were fibreglass and had a draw weight of, maybe 20lb? If that. They were about maybe 40"? So, pathetic. Anyway, the next PE lesson I bring in my bow cause I was getting frustrated with only taking shots from 10 paces away. I'm not kidding when I say that a shot from further away probably wouldn't hit the target.
I got in trouble for that. Apparently they don't like you taking weapons to school. But that's ok, cause I was the king in PE for a day. And that's all that mattered. :P
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Well my bow is made of wood. So there. :P
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Haha point taken my friend. :P
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I know a tree sculptor who makes bows. His shortbow is, amusingly, just the right size to be a longbow for me. :P
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Jubal Brownlock of Buckland. (http://www.matrix-explained.com/photopost/data/501/6994hobbits_viurs_tschricker.jpg)
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I was planing to make a crossbow but I gave up cause it's a bit too much work and I need to know how to make a bow 1st anyway. Atm I'm looking for wood for my future long/recurve bow. Since yew is rare and protected here I'll prolly use elm or ash (elm is a bit better than ash). If I don't get my hands on those (very unlikely) I can always use oak.
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Just saw some svibovina or should I say Thelycrania (dunno eng translation, maybe dogwood?). That's the tree, well it's more of a bush than a tree, that was used in medieval time to make bows. It's suposed to be one of the best bow materials. Only trees better than it are yew and osage orange. Sucks that it was on private property and that it's best to cut it in may. :S At least I found some1 who's selling elm boards. I hope he'll have something usefull.
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Yeah, dogwood, that sounds right.
Here's some reading for you: http://www.primitiveways.com/board%20bow.html :)
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Thnx, I already read something similar but every bit helps. I'm already making a tiller so I could teach the bow to bend.
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Call me when you finish it. I may have a bow made out of crapwood but I have steel tipped arrows (blunt unfortunately). Broke some of them while I was practicing, though.
Just a side note. I would really like to get one of those modern bows with pulleys (is that the right plural form of pulley?).
I've heard that they easily generate a tremendous force and are more accurate than any standard bow.
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I saw a person shooting with one of those modern compound bows. You do know that a good arrow from that type of bow is more lethal than average pistol bullet.
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They're just as powerful as a medium weight crossbow.