Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: snedeker on November 13, 2009, 11:07:37 am
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http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/badminton/docs/chapter03/chapter3_3.html
I got a kick our of reading through this. I was browsing around, interested in history of bows in Asia prior to development of composite bow. Longman suggests that the composite bow spread because that whenever it came up against selfbows it won out. This is a little simplistic I think, because people using composites would likely have been mounted warriors and if they came up against fringe tribal level people still using wood bows, their wholel greater level of military organization would have been key to victory.
Dave
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http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/badminton/docs/chapter03/chapter3_3.html
I got a kick our of reading through this. I was browsing around, interested in history of bows in Asia prior to development of composite bow. Longman suggests that the composite bow spread because that whenever it came up against selfbows it won out. This is a little simplistic I think, because people using composites would likely have been mounted warriors and if they came up against fringe tribal level people still using wood bows, their wholel greater level of military organization would have been key to victory.
Dave
Goodf point about military organization which the 13 th century Mongols certainly had along with an incredible intelligence capability. Despite Mongol success with their composite bows against every European army they encountered, English archers continued to use self wooden longbows until the reign of Elizabeth i.
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The key to the difference in equipment used is in the nature of the warfare fought. The mounted archer used a shorter bow that could cast a light arrow a fantastic distance, and that did not need to penetrate body armor. The English archer used a long bow that would cast a very heavy arrow a shorter, but still signifigant distance for use against armored enemy in rank and file formations. Both techniques were adapted very well to the type of warfare that the respective archers fought. Really neat and interesting examples of archery tackle form following function. Isn't this stuff cool!!??
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This isa digital library of a number of classic archery works and articles, fascinating, thanks for the link (in old english, f=s)):
"The Perfians made ufe of Arrows for another purpofe. By their affiftance they numbered their troops, and difcovered who had fallen in battle. When they undertook a campaign, each man placed an Arrow, with his name infcribed on it, in a cheft, or box, prepared to receive them, if after the battle, therefore, the king wifhed to be informed who were killed, he gave orders that each man fhould take the Arrow having his name upon it, from the cheft, or box; and when all were drawn belonging to the furvivors, thofe which remained fhewed who were abfent, or dead"
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One wonders about the early selfbow styles of Asia. The Asians who crossed the Bering strait in to N America around 13,000 years ago didn't have em yet, but you figure the bow must have been around in the neolithic there. Zelkova is available in northeastern Asia, in Korea and Manchuria, pretty much east Asian Elm, and it makes a great bow. the humid tropis of SE asia has good hard woods.
Dave