A bow drill is a simple hand-operated tool consisting of a rod set spinning in rapid rotary motion by a cord wrapped around it, the cord kept taut by a bow that the user pushes back and forth with one hand while the other hand steadies the rod. A tool of prehistoric origin, it has been used both as a drill, to bore holes in solid materials such as wood, stone or bone, and as a fire drill, where the friction of the spinning rod against a wooden hearth board generates enough heat to start a fire.
Facts
Introduced When (Circa)Documented in Pakistan between the 5th and 4th millennia BC (Mehrgarh) 1 OriginBow drills with green jasper bits were used at Mehrgarh in Pakistan between the 5th and 4th millennia BC to drill holes into lapis lazuli and carnelian; the tool is of prehistoric origin and has been used both as a drill for wood, stone or bone and as a fire drill. 1 Introduced era (class) In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Bow Drill (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory section, Mehrgarh sentence
Bow drills with green jasper bits were used in Mehrgarh (Pakistan) between the 5th and 4th millenniums BCE to drill holes into lapis lazuli and carnelian.
History section, Mehrgarh sentence (origin detail)
Bow drills with green jasper bits were used in Mehrgarh (Pakistan) between the 5th and 4th millenniums BCE to drill holes into lapis lazuli and carnelian.
View the Source Frequently Asked Questions
What is the earliest known evidence of bow drills in use?
Green jasper bow drills at Mehrgarh, Pakistan, dated to the fifth to fourth millennia BC.
Bow drills with green jasper bits were used at Mehrgarh in what is now Pakistan between the fifth and fourth millennia BC, to drill holes into lapis lazuli and carnelian. The tool is of prehistoric origin and has served both as a drill for wood, stone or bone and as a fire drill.
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