Six Fletched Tibetan Arrows

Ashbow · Post by **Ashbow** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:16 pm

The pictures attached are of the figure of a "Tibetan worrior" on dispaly in the National Museum in Copenhagen.
The arrows in the quiver are cane and appear to be rather fragile. Notice how arrows in the main part of the quiver are wound together with colourful bands of fabric. The arrangement of the arrows gives an impression of a ceremonial use.

In the front part of the quiver there are distinctive arrows which are six-fletched in a peculiar manner. I hope you can make out the fletching pattern from the poor quality pictures.

bustedarrow · Post by **bustedarrow** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:42 pm

it's difficult for me to see.

suomialex · Post by **suomialex** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 8:27 am

You have to think vertically instead of horisontally...

lurz · Post by **lurz** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 6:36 pm

Think I can see it. Two sets of three, rather short, feathers after each other. Never seen that arrangement before.
Makes me think of fluflu-arrows. Do you have any idea if they have special points?

bustedarrow · Post by **bustedarrow** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:03 am

Yes, yes now I see it. That is interesting! I wonder what that does in flight? So how ong do you think each feather is?

Ashbow · Post by **Ashbow** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 6:10 pm

I'm sorry, the pictures are really bad quality

.

The fletching arrangement is as Lurz explained. First three short fletches glued down the nock in an usual manner, further down the shaft towards the arrowhead, a second set of fletches. The rear edge of the second set of fletches starts precisely where the leading edge of the first set ends. The orientation of the second set of fletches is turned 60 degrees in relation to the first set: if you were to look down the arrow, every of the six fletches is glued 60 degrees apart.

The first set of feathers is about 4" long, if I rember right. The second set is about twice that long. The combined lenght of both sets is pretty much the same as the lenght of the fletchings of the "usual" three fletched arrows in the quiver.
My initial impression was also that of "flu-flu" like arrows, hard to say.
The overall surface of both sets of fletching on the six fletched arrows is about the same as the surface of fletching on the three flethced arrows.

Unfortunately no arrowheads or points can be seen.