400+ Year Old Bow Found in Mississippi Creek
A Mississippi man discovered an astonishing historical object embedded in the mud of a creek on his property. Scott Summerlin, an amateur archeologist who lives near Biloxi, Miss., told McClatchy News that he spotted a stick in the mud, quite literally, that once removed revealed itself to be a centuries-old wooden bow.
Mississippi Fossils and Artifacts
Summerlin posted pictures of his discovery to the Mississippi fossils and artifacts Facebook group asking for input on precisely what it might be. Group members urged him to contact the State of Mississippi to get the proper identification and help with preservation, as wooden objects like this can deteriorate quickly.
James Starnes, director of surface geology for the Mississippi Office of Geology, connected Summerlin with experts who identified the object as a 42-inch long Native American bow, likely of the Choctaw Nation, who inhabited that portion of Mississippi before European colonization.
“It is an unbelievably rare find in an area where wooden things decay quickly,” Starns told the Biloxi Sun Herald. “He found it in a black water stream, rich in tannin, and that can do neat things as far as preserving stuff. This is similar to seeing something frozen hundreds of years in the permafrost, and it is revealed when the ice melts. It’s that kind of a rarity in a subtropical environment.”
Starns said that the fact the bow was discovered in the wild, and not at an archeological site, means that there is probably an interesting story behind how it ended up locked in the mud for centuries.
According to the Sun Herald, the bow has been looked over by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, The Cobb Institute of Archaeology, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The consensus is that it is made in the tradition of early historic Native Americans and is likely between 300-500 years old.
Summerlin said that a deer head and a cat image were engraved into the bow.
“I can even tell [the archer] was right-handed: There’s a thumb indentation in the wood from him shooting it so many times,” Summerlin said.
Derek Anderson, Cobb Institute archaeologist, told McClatchy News that this is the first time he’s heard of a bow being discovered. However, he said ancient paddles and canoes have been found in Mississippi waters before.
“Any time an artifact like this is found, it’s a pretty big deal,” he said. “Organic materials typically decompose and disappear from the archaeological record — particularly in the hot, humid climate here in Mississippi. On the rare occasion that a wooden artifact like this is found, it gives us insights and information that aren’t possible most of the time.”
Summerlin has donated the bow to the Choctaw Nation, who stated they plan to “preserve, study, radiocarbon date, and publish” a report on the bow “to the benefit of Native American heritage preservation.” They also plan to create a 3D replica to display on exhibit in Mississippi.
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.