1900.78.52

Collection type

Object

Description

Crossbow rat-trap. [MJD 28/06/2013]

Long description

Crossbow rat-trap. The rectangle of wood with right angled wooden trigger. The wood has a long perforation along its length. One end is bound with twisted fine grass fibre. The wooden trigger is tied with twisted plant fibre to the wood. There is a fine length of twisted plant fibre tied through the large perforation. [MJD 28/06/2013]

Geographical reference

Japan

Asia > Eastern Asia > Japan

Hokkaido

Cultural groups

Ainu アイヌ

Person

Field collector J. Rousseau

Field collector Julien Jean Marie Rousseau

PRM source J. Rousseau

PRM source Julien Jean Marie Rousseau

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1900

Date collected

By 1900

Acquisition information

Purchased: 1900

Materials and processes

Material Wood Plant, Material Plant Fibre, Material Nettle Fibre Plant, Process Carved, Process Carpentered, Process Twisted, Process Bound

Dimensions

Depth: max 46 mm, Length: max 537 mm, Width: max 105 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1900.78.52

Research and responses

This object was studied by Dai Williams on 8 July 2013. He stated that the trap line is made of nettle fibre. The trap would be set some distance away from a trail. A line would be strung across the trail and tied to the trigger loop. An arrow would be set along the top of the wood. Once the line has been tripped the trigger would fire the arrow. [MJD 09/07/2013]

Notes sent by Dai Williams after his visit on 8 July 2013: The PRM catalogue notes for this object term it “aku-pe”. The object is, in fact, not the entire trap but the trigger mechanism. The entire trap or one similar to it is illustrated in the attached drawing. The trap is a modification of the fixed bow trap described in 1900.78.49.1 and 2 above. However it was usually smaller and mounted vertically rather than horizontally. As a result the bow is incorporated into the base rather than resting on it. Similar traps were used for hunting marten or river otter in which case they were baited with fish. Rats and other vermin were a constant threat to the Ainu who had to endure long hard winters that required storage of a considerable amount of foodstuffs. These were usually housed in raised storage facilities that were not accessible to vermin. However, as this trap attests, all forms of food security were practiced and in one illustration of the interior of an Ainu house one sits in readiness attached to the wall.

References:

Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People, page 212. The Ainu Scroll in Hamburg, Gernot Prunner, in European Studies on Ainu Language and Culture, Joseph Kreiner and Hans Dieter Olschleger (editors), Iudicum Verlag, Munich, 1993. [FB 21/08/2013]

Search terms: Archery Weapon, Hunting, Trap, Cross Bow Trap, Hunting accessory