In 1665 —­ 1668 Friar Casimiro Diaz wrote of the Igorot that they used arrows,[28] but it is believed his statement did not apply to the Bontoc man.  Igorot-like people throughout northern Luzon commonly do not have this weapon, yet the large Tinguian group of Abra, west and north of Bontoc, and the Ibilao of southeastern Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, and adjacent Isabela employ the bow constantly.

The natural projectile weapon of the Negrito is the bow and arrow; that of the Malayan seems to be the blowgun —­ at present, however, largely replaced by the spear, though in some southern islands, especially in Paragua, it has held its own.

Wooden weapons

Shields are universally made and used by the Igorot.  They are made by the men of each pueblo, and are seldom bought or sold.  They are cut from single pieces of wood, and are generally constructed of very light wood, though some are heavy.  The hand grip is cut in the solid timber. is almost invariably made for the left hand, and will usually accommodate only three fingers —­ the thumb and little finger remaining outside the grip and free to press forward the upper and lower ends of the shield, respectively, slanting it to glance a blow of a spear.

Within the present boundary of Bontoc Province there are three distinct patterns of wooden shields in use in three quite distinct culture areas.  There is still another shield immediately beyond the western border of the province but which is believed to be produced also in the Bontoc area.

First, is the shield of the Bontoc culture area.  It is usually about 3 feet long and 1 foot wide, is blackened with a greasy soot, though now and again one in original wood is seen.  The upper part or “chief” of the shield is cut, leaving three points projecting several inches above the solid field; the lower end or “base” is cut, leaving two points.  Across both ends of the shield is a strengthening lace of bejuco, passing through perforations from front to back.  The front surface of the shield is most prominent over the deep-cut hand grip at the boss or “fess point,” toward which a wing approaches on both the dexter and sinister sides of the front of the shield, being carved slightly on the field.  This is the usual Bontoc shield, but some few have meaningless straight-line decorations cut in the field.

In the Tinglayan culture area, immediately north of Bontoc, the usual shield is very similar to the above, except that various sections of both the face and back of the shield are of natural wood or are colored dull red.  The strengthening of bejuco lacings and the raised wings are also found.

Still farther north is the Kalinga shield —­ a slim, gracefully formed shield, differing from the typical Bontoc weapon chiefly in its more graceful outline.  It is of a uniform black color and has the bejuco lacings the same as the others.