In one of his Misinformation books,writer Tom Burnam asserts that the “quiver” was an invention of American Indians; that archers of Robin Hood’s tiem (OK, I know he was ficitonal) carried arrows “in a sheaf tied loosely at the waist,” Errol Flynn’s characterization notwithstanding.
However, I’ve also seen a copy of the painting “The Chastisement of Love,” pepared by The School of Carvaggio, which flourished around the end of the 16th Century; it shows some man flogging the blindfolded Cupid, who is indeed shown with a quiver, complete with arrows, on his back.
Who’s right?
Wikipedia begs to differ, saying all bow and arrow cultures used them including some frozen-solid Neolithic man found in the Alps. War archers typically stuck big sheafs of them in the ground for easy access, agreed.
I’m pretty sure I’ve also seen quivers in pictures done in the 14th century. It’s possible that artists at the time were all mistaken about what they were seeing, leaving it up to a 21st century smartass to retroactively set them straight.
(I’ve never seen a book or article about historical misconceptions that did not itself promulgate some bit of misinformation.)
The cylindrical quiver beloved of Robin Hood illustrators may be an Indian thing. Most period quivers I’ve seen in art are like the one discussed here: http://www.tirbriste.org/dmir/ArmsArmor/02/0215/0215.html
But the European quiver goes back a lot further than that
Burnham is wrong, plain and simple.
Quivers are used everywhere.
Well, I guess so.
As for Cupid, opne of my funniest recalled TV quotes was from Our Miss Brooks, in an episode in which Miss Brooks was going to be married–and quit teaching. Principal Conklin (Gale Gordon) was aghast when he heard about this, and Walter Denton, I think, told him that even Osgood Conklin can’t fight Cupid.
Principal Conklin bellowed: “I’ll beat the bare little brute until he drops his quiver!” 