https://www.flickr.com/gp/42786673@N02/0W2a1PThis is the belly of a crossbow lath from maybe the early 15th century currently in Glasgow museum. It is the centre 1/3 of the lath and approximately 2” by 2”. There is a lot of speculation about the lath, including could it bend at all? Various estimates of a possible draw weight range from 150lb to 800lb+ Loa is 116cm (44”). There is also some debate as to whether it was steam-deflexed or has taken a lot of set. The obvious marks at the centre are likely where the bow was pulled against the stock but I would love your thoughts, especially on the pattern of belly cracks which look like crysals to me - the back does not have a pattern of cracks, except for one or two that run along the grain
Apologies for a link to flickr, I couldn't work out how to get the URL to open as an image
