Non composite ibex horn bow

[odysseus]

Did anyone ever try to build a bow using two ibex horns joined together in the middle? I have seen only gemsbok horn bows made this way, never ibex.
As an archaeologist I did a lot of research concerning mycenaean warfare, and it seems some of their bows were made exactly as it is described in the Iliad, simply two horns joined together with handle.
I have never worked with horn so I dont know its properties, how much could it be bent, its tension/compression strength etc., so I would like to see others opinions about building this kind of bow. How would you do it, could a bow made like this even be useable, what shape would you make it, and so on?

[loefflerchuck]

I think 2 ibex horns would be so hard to bend there would be no danger of overdraw and breakage. Iliad has the first poetic hornbow mention and yes it talks of horn only. Maybe the horn was cut in half. Even then it would be quite powerful. The ibex horns I have seen are large.

[odysseus]

Lets put draw weight aside for now, although I think horns could be thinned enough probably to give big, yet reasonable draw weight (just a speculation).
In the Iliad horns are described as ''16 palms in length'' which should be around 1,2m.
I just wonder could the bow made like that be fully drawn without breaking the horns, and what shape would you make the bow, given that the horns  shape is semi circular? In mycenaean/minoan depictions, there are couple of bow shapes used: simple curved bow, double concave bow, and recurved reflex deflex bow.
Also if someone knows can the horn be heated into shape as I have heard somewhere, without slowly returning to its original shape?

[mikekeswick]

Yes it would be possible but sinew is what really makes a 'proper' hornbow eg. it allows it stand up in tension equal to horns capability to take compression. It would work but wouldn't be very efficient. I've seen bows made with two gemsbok horns and no sinew but again they will suffer the same limitations.
Horn can be heated and bent into a new shape without returning to the original shape.

[GlisGlis]

which should be around 1,2m

pretty short. Are you sure of this conversion?
Ibex could give longer horns for sure

[loefflerchuck]

"Twas formed of horn, and smoothed with artful toil, A mountain goat designed the shining spoil, who pierced long since, beneath his arrow bled, the stately quarry on the cliffs lay dead, and sixteen palms his brows large honors spread. The workmen joined and shaped the bended horns, and beaten gold each taper point adorns." Homer.

I believe Homer is describing the horns on the beast as 16 palms. Then the horns are joined at the grip. Ibex horns are a bit too rare and expensive for me to attempt a longbow