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Object Number
95-20-10/49340
Display Title
The Sudbury Bow
Descriptions
Object Description
Made from hickory, the bow measures over 5 feet high. An inscription on the bow reads: "The bow was taken from an Indian in Sudbury, Masstts A,D, 1660 by William Goodnough, who shot the Indian while he was ransacking his house for plunder." This description was interpreted literally, resulting in the title “The Sudbury Bow.” While the Indigenous maker of the bow is unknown, it is believed to be one of the only surviving examples of a seventeenth-century Native American bow. The bow was also used as inspiration for the bow depicted on the 1898 Seal of Massachusetts.
Inventory Description
Bow, carved wood, curved, tapered at both ends
Classification
- Bow
Department
Ethnographic
Date
17th century
Culture
- Algonquian
- Wampanoag
Geography/Provenience/Site Name
North America
/
United States
/
Massachusetts
/
Middlesex County
/
Sudbury
Materials
Hickory wood
Dimensions
Distance (Bowed length): 167.6397 cm
Distance (Total Length): 169.5447 cm
Distance (Hand grip): 10.16 cm
Distance (Widest bevel): 12.065 cm
Overall: 169.5 × 4.6 × 3 cm (66 3/4 × 1 13/16 × 1 3/16 in.)
Quantity
1
Label on object
"This bow was taken from an Indian in Sudbury, Masstts A.D. 1660 by William Goodnough who shot the Indian while he was ransacking his house for plunder."
An additional severely faded notation appears on the adjacent faceted side of the bow, with only "A.D. 1660" still legible. On the faceted side of the bow to the right of "A.D. 1660" there are red, faded numbers, "4934_".
Credit Line
Gift of the American Antiquarian Society, 1895
Provenance
Collector
Possibly
William Goodnough
(1660)
Previous owner
Rev. Charles C. P. Crosby
(April 29, 1826)
Donor
American Antiquarian Society
(1895)
Important Note about Historical Language
Collections records may contain language, reflecting past collecting practices and methods of analysis, that is no longer acceptable. The Peabody Museum is committed to addressing the problem of offensive and discriminatory language present in its database. Our museum staff are continually updating these records, adding to and improving content. We welcome your feedback and any questions or concerns you may want to share. Please email us with your comments.
| PrimaryMedia | Object Number | Title | Classification | Geography/Provenience | SHARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004.24.31905 | Sudbury bow |
Massachusetts
| ||
| 40-77-40/12896 | Fibula |
Ornament
Raw Material |
Vinica
| |
| 40-77-40/12847 | Fibula |
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| 40-77-40/13091 | Fibula |
Raw Material
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Vinica
| |
| 987-16-10/71165 | Bow |
Bow
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Canada
| |
| 2004.29.10120 | Bow and arrow group |
Ecuador
| ||
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Bow
|
North Dakota
| |
| 31-32-10/K116 | Carved bowl drill of walrus ivory with thong. Various hunting scenes depicted. |
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|
St. Michael Island?
| |
|
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|
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| |
| 994-15-10/74746 | Bow |
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Florida
| |
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Bow
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British Columbia
| |
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|