Skillfully crafted, these fascinating implements are old and used. They come from Africa -- probably from the Hausa-Fulani peoples of West Nigeria. The Mandinka people of Gambia and the Tuareg nomads of the south Sahara also made and used very similar looking quivers and arrows.

The practice of archery has been continuous on the African continent throughout all of human history. Such small arrows would have been used for hunting small game, birds, and fish. Also, Hausa and Fulani are excellent horsemen, so lightweight quivers of this type were likely used by horsemen in war. Such a highly decorated quiver with flowing fringe would make a strong impression when worn by a rider.


The quiver is a bamboo tube, wrapped with tanned leather that was stitched onto it with a vegetable fiber string. The leather is scored with linear patterns and further decorated with long leather fringe which is intricately braided at the top and woven as thongs into the leather cover at the bottom.

It has a shoulder strap that has torn away at the lower end. The braids that the strap was attached to are still there, but the leather is too stiff to work with in order to re-attach it.

Probably the quiver would have originally had a domed cap since the arrows fit almost all the way down into the quiver.

The quiver is 23.25" long (without measuring the fringe), and the arrows measure around 25" long.

The slender bamboo arrows have iron arrowheads that are also finely made -- hand forged with thinly tapering points and a wicked side hook. Their long shanks slip down into the bamboo and are secured with tightly wrapped animal sinew. The opposite ends are notched and wrapped with sinew. The arrows are not fletched, i.e. no feathers.

One bamboo arrow shaft received special attention and was decorated with incised lines. That's shown in detail, superimposed in a box in one of my photos.

The arrowheads are rusty, but in good condition. The quiver seems to be in good condition, with the age- and use-related wear and damage as mentioned including that the leather is dry and stiff.