Ground bow

Ground bow (Fr.: arc-en-terre; Ger.: Erdbogen), primitive form of bow found only in Africa now, although encountered in neolithic excavations on several continents. It consists of a flexible stick set in the ground, with a cord attached to its upper end. The lower end of the cord is tied to the bark cover of a nearby pit, which serves as resonator; the cover of the pit is weighted down with earth or stones, and often a gourd or pot is placed in the pit to augment the sound. The string is…