Native American Weapons - Softcover

Taylor, Colin F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0806137169 ISBN 13: 9780806137162

Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press, 2005

Synopsis

Featuring 155 color photographs and illustrations, Native American Weapons surveys weapons made and used by American Indians north of present-day Mexico from prehistoric times to the late nineteenth century, when European weapons were in common use. Over thousands of years the weapons were developed and creatively matched to their environment―highly functional and often decorative, carried proudly in tribal gatherings and in war.

About this title

About the Author:

Colin F. Taylor was a senior lecturer at Hastings College of Arts and Technology, England, and a writer, lecturer, and film consultant. He was the author of Buckskins and Buffalo: The Artistry of the Plains Indians, coauthor of With Eagle Tail, editor of Native American Arts and Crafts, and coeditor of The Native Americans: The Indigenous People of North America.

From Library Journal:

In this taut and generously illustrated overview, Taylor (Buckskin and Buffalo: The Artistry of the Plains Indians) zeroes in on North American Indian arms and armor from prehistoric times to the late 19th century, dividing his subject into five efficient categories. The chapter on striking weapons covers war clubs and tomahawks, cutting weapons include knives from Folsom stone to Bowie, piercing weapons comprise spears and bows and arrows, and defensive weapons feature the seldom-emphasized armor both men and horses wore in battle. Most interesting, however, is the chapter on symbolic weapons, which describes how powerful icons on dress or ornament were used to ward off blows. The illustrations mostly color photos of objects help the reader see distinctions between, for example, a regular tomahawk and a spontoon or French one. Old paintings and photographs show the weapons held by their owners, giving both a time frame and a sense of their importance. The text is packed and yet very readable, and the amount of history, tribal distinction, and construction detail given in such a short book is astounding. This excellent introduction is a bargain for any library. Gay Neale, Meredithville, VA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0806137169
• ISBN 13: 9780806137162
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128