This image depicts a modern approximation of a historical composite, lying against a tree. A composite bow is a bow made from disparate materials laminated together usually applied under tension

A bow is a weapon that projects arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow. A weapon is a Tool used either in Hunting, or attack or defence in Combat for the purpose of subduing enemy personnel or to destroy enemy weapons An arrow is a pointed Projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most Cultures. A material is said to be elastic if it deforms under stress (e As the bow is drawn, energy is stored in the limbs of the bow and transformed into rapid motion when the string is released, with the string transferring this force to the arrow. A bow draw is the method used to draw a bow Currently the most common method is the Mediterranean Draw long the usual method in European archery A bow string joins the two ends of the bow stave and launches the Arrow. Bows are used for hunting and sport (target shooting), and as a weapon of war. Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units

The technique of using a bow is called archery. Archery is the practice of using a bow or Crossbow to shoot Arrows Archery has historically been used in Hunting and Combat and has Someone who makes bows is known as a bowyer, and one who makes arrows a fletcher. A bowyer is someone who makes or sells bows. History Historically a huge variety of bows have been produced for food gathering warfare and recreation Fletching is the ancient art of aerodynamically stabilizing Arrows from materials such as feathers Together with the atlatl and the sling, the bow was one of the first ranged weapons or hunting tools which used mechanical principles, instead of relying solely on the strength of its user. An atlatl (from Nahuatl ahtlatl; in English pronounced or) or spear-thrower is a Tool that uses Leverage to achieve greater velocity A sling is a projectile Weapon typically used to throw a blunt Projectile such as a stone FIRST, or F or I nspiration and R ecognition of S cience and T echnology is an organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen A ranged weapon or missile weapon is any Weapon that launches a Projectile or that is a projectile itself Mechanics ( Greek) is the branch of Physics concerned with the behaviour of physical bodies when subjected to Forces or displacements USER is an international Recording artist who earned his chops in the techno-industrial period of the 1990s playing guitar with such notable bands as Atlantic

Many bow designs have been used in different cultures and time periods. Common designs include the widespread long bows (Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia), short bows (South African Bushmen), laminated wood (Japanese and Sami bows), sinew-backed bows (common in North America), and the horn-wood-sinew composite (Eurasian nomads, also used for centuries in the Middle East, the later Roman Empire, China, Korea, and India). To see other senses of this word see Longbow (disambiguation. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The Bushmen, San, Sho, Basarwa, ǃKung or Khwe are indigenous people of southern Africa that spans most areas of South Africa A laminated bow is a bow in which different materials are Laminated together to form the bow stave itself For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Sami people are the Indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway Eurasian Nomads are a large group of peoples of the Eurasian Steppe. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. For the constellation see Sagittarius. Sagittarii were auxiliary archers China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country In modern times, the recurve and compound bows dominate for sport and hunting practices. The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also modern times) is the period of history that followed the Middle Ages between c A compound bow is a modern bow that uses a levering system usually of cables and Pulleys to bend the limbs Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Newer materials, including flexible plastics, fiberglass, and carbon fibers, have led to increases in range and projectile velocity. Fiberglass (also called fibreglass and glass fibre see Spelling differences) is material made from extremely fine Fibers of Glass.

Modern-day use of bows for hunting is a matter of controversy in some areas but is common and accepted in others. Bowhunting is the practice of taking game animals by Archery. Modern hunters are often drawn to bow-hunting because it generally requires more practice and skill than taking game with a firearm. A skill is the learned capacity or talent to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time energy or both. A firearm is a Tool that projects either single or multiple Projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion While modern rifles allow hunters to shoot large game (such as deer or elk) at distances of 100 yards (metres) or more, archers must usually take large game within 40 yards (metres); thus the archer must stalk the game more closely without frightening it away. A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International Defined narrowly a game stalker is a hunter who for sport approaches close to his timid quarry before making a kill Bow hunting is also still practiced in traditional cultures worldwide.

Types of Bows

Longbow

Main article: Longbow

English longbows were ideally made from yew, but good-quality yew has always been scarce and expensive; white woods such as elm, ash, hazel and brazil-wood were used according to availability. To see other senses of this word see Longbow (disambiguation. The English longbow, also called the Welsh longbow, was a powerful type of medieval Longbow (a tall bow for Archery) about 6 ft Scarcity (also called paucity) is the problem of Infinite human needs and Wants, in a world of Finite Resources In other Elms are Deciduous and Semi-deciduous Trees comprising the genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae, found An ash can be any of four different tree genera from four very distinct families; most commonly in a combined form (e Yew sapwood is elastic in tension, yew heartwood is elastic in compression. This combination makes a hard hitting durable bow. Modern yew bows are often backed with a thin layer of rawhide to keep from splintering or breaking on the back, since yew is so expensive. Although the whitewoods will make an English longbow if specially treated, they are better suited to making flatbows. Other dense woods from other parts of the world will also make good longbows.

A well-made bow could shoot well in excess of 300 yards (275 meters) using light arrows. A longbow archer could shoot up to 10 arrows per minute; a crossbowman or arbalestier of the Hundred Years War could only shoot up to three. The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior A famous example is the English longbow, carried by English (and Welsh) soldiers to great effect in the Hundred Years' War. The English longbow, also called the Welsh longbow, was a powerful type of medieval Longbow (a tall bow for Archery) about 6 ft At this time it was called the "war bow". At close range the longbow was capable of penetrating all but the very best plate armor of the time. Groups of archers would loose volleys on a high, arching trajectory at enemy formations. The arrows used were heavy, up to 4 ounces (112 grams) or more, with narrow heavy bodkin pointed heads and thick arrows often made of ash. This article is about the unit of mass For the unit of force see Pound-force. For other uses of the words gram or gramme see Gram (disambiguation. A bodkin point is a type of Arrowhead. In its simplest form it is an uncomplicated squared metal spike and was used extensively during the Middle Ages. ^[1] This style of bow was used up until the time of the English Civil War but was almost completely replaced by the musket, mostly because of the years of training involved with archery. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists.

Construction of a longbow begins with a stave of yew or another suitable wood. (Most modern bowyers will remove some of the sapwood growth rings from the back of the bow, so that the bow has some sapwood and mostly heartwood. For the NATO reporting name for the R-7 Semyorka intercontinental ballistic missile see SS-6 Sapwood. For the NATO reporting name for the R-7 Semyorka intercontinental ballistic missile see SS-6 Sapwood. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs This was not done in the Mary Rose bows, some of which still show cambium on the backs. In white woods such as elm or ash there is no important difference between the sapwood and heartwood, and no reason to remove outer growth rings. ) The stave is cut to approximate shape, usually about as long as the intended archer is tall, then "tillered", wood removed so that the bow tapers in thickness/strength to the tips. At first a skilled bowyer can quickly remove large amounts of obviously-redundant wood. Nocks are cut and the stave is braced low and rasped or planed more to ensure that the bow bends evenly. Eventually, with great care, removing very small amounts of wood between checks, the bow is tillered so that it bends perfectly to full brace and then full draw, allowing the bow a few extra pounds to make up for poundage lost when the bow is broken in.

More information on this topic is available on the internet and in some books. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks The Traditional Bowyers' Bibles are a good place to start, as is Paul Comstocks' "The Bent Stick".

Yumi

Main article: Yumi

A yumi is a Japanese longbow used in the practice of kyūdō. is the Japanese term for bows and includes the Longbow, Daikyū and the Shortbow, hankyū) used in the is the Japanese term for bows and includes the Longbow, Daikyū and the Shortbow, hankyū) used in the literally meaning " way of the bow " is the Japanese art of Archery. Traditionally made from a laminate of bamboo, wood, and leather, yumi are of asymmetrical design, with the grip positioned at about one-third the distance from the lower tip. Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily Leather is a material created through the Tanning of hides and Skins of Animals primarily Cattlehide The Tanning process It is believed the shape was designed for use on horseback, allowing the bow to be more easily moved from one side of the horse to the other.

Unlike most archery disciplines, the yumi is not drawn with fingers alone,^[2] but with a ridge on the thumb of the leather glove or yugake, worn on the back hand. This meant the draw weight was not limited to the finger strength of the shooter. Instead, a more relaxed and holistic technique was developed and the yumi was drawn not just with the arm, but with kyūdōka, the whole breadth and being of the archer. The arrow was often nocked to the "wrong" or far side of the bow to allow quicker setting of the arrow, and the string was released not by relaxing the hand, but by altering the posture of the back hand wrist, allowing the string to slip over the ridge of the glove; the thumb becomes part of a rigid frame with the wrist piece, making finger strength unimportant in the process of shooting.

Flatbow

Main article: Flatbow

The limbs of a flatbow have a rectangular or rhombic cross-section, rather than curved or "crowned" as with a longbow. A flatbow is a bow with non- recurved, flat relatively wide limbs that are approximately rectangular in cross-section A flatbow is a bow with non- recurved, flat relatively wide limbs that are approximately rectangular in cross-section The typical modern flatbow is made from a whitewood such as ash, hickory, hazel, or oak, with limbs about 2 inches (5 cm) wide, tapering in the last outer third of the limbs to ½-inch (1 cm) nocks. Trees in the genus Carya (from Ancient Greek κάρυον " Nut " are commonly known as Hickory. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth It is often made about 66 inches (1. 67 m) long and tillered elliptically, with good potential for high draw weights. M is the thirteenth letter of the modern Latin alphabet. Its name in English is spelled em (ɛm This is a good form of bow because it allows anyone to make an excellent bow with little expense; many suitable whitewoods are cheap and plentiful, whereas yew and osage are expensive and the supply of good material is limited.

Short bow

Polychrome small-scale model of the archer XI of the west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia, ca. 505–500 BC.

A shortbow is any shorter version of the longbow, flatbow, or composite design. By definition it does not allow the archer to draw the string to the face or body, so accuracy is more difficult to attain. The shorter draw stores less energy and hence has a lesser velocity and maximum range; it also requires less energy output from the archer. It is quicker to shoot, more manoeuvrable, easier to conceal, and requires less work and material. Correspondingly short arrows may be used, similarly easier to make, lighter, and less unwieldy than those for a longer bow.

Such bows may still be deadly weapons, effective at penetrating body cavities of large animals including humans. Short bows were used for hunting by, among others, many tribes of the North American West Coast and Plains (often with a flat or lenticular cross-section) and by South African Bushmen (often with a rounded cross-section similar to the classic longbow). The Bushmen, San, Sho, Basarwa, ǃKung or Khwe are indigenous people of southern Africa that spans most areas of South Africa Early Eurasian composite bows are short bows, as depicted in ancient Greek art and found in central Asia. ^[3] They are still in use in Africa for hunting, for self-defence, and in inter-ethnic clashes. ^[4]

Composite bow

Main methods of drawing bows (see Bow Draw

Main article: Composite bow

A composite bow is laminated from different materials to produce a bow. A bow draw is the method used to draw a bow Currently the most common method is the Mediterranean Draw long the usual method in European archery A composite bow is a bow made from disparate materials laminated together usually applied under tension A laminate is a material constructed by uniting two or more layers of material together The Asiatic traditional composite bows use horn on the belly and sinew on the back, often with a wooden core to provide a gluing surface. A horn is a pointed projection of the Skin on the head of various Mammals consisting of a covering of horn ( Keratin and other Proteins The bows are backed with sinew because it is very elastic. Sinew will also shrink and pull a bow into reflex. The horn on the belly is very strong in compression and can handle a high draw weight without taking a set. These Asiatic bows were often highly recurved and reflexed, giving a short bow the ability to store lots of energy and shoot nearly as fast as a much longer bow. Modern, non traditional "composite" bows use laminated wood, plastic, and fiberglass. A laminated bow is a bow in which different materials are Laminated together to form the bow stave itself Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products

Crossbow

Main article: Crossbow

The crossbow is a small bow attached to a wooden support and drawn towards a nut or pin. A crossbow is a Weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles often called bolts A crossbow is a Weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles often called bolts When a trigger is pressed, the pin or nut releases the bow string, shooting the bolt. The crossbow requires little effort to shoot, but early on took great strength to load, though this was solved by adding a windlass or crank. Another means of loading the crossbow was to use a small hook attached to the belt of the archer. The archer would then hold the crossbow still by slipping his foot into a foothold at the tip of the bow. He then pulled the bowstring back by placing the hook in the crossbow's string and standing up. This permitted the shooter to use his legs, instead of his arms, to pull back the string. This method was not long-lived in European land warfare, however, because the crossbow was soon after replaced by the musket.

The oldest remains of crossbows are found in East Asia and date back to 2000 BC. Some crossbows are known as a bowgun. They launch stones or lead. This Chinese invention dates back to at least 300 BC.

Arbalest

Main article: Arbalest

An arbalest is a large, powerful crossbow with a bow (prod) of steel, rather than of wood or horn/sinew composite. The arbalest (also arblast) was a late variation of the medieval European Crossbow. The arbalest (also arblast) was a late variation of the medieval European Crossbow. The Hussites were famous for their arbalest archers. The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1420

Ballista

Main article: Ballista

A ballista is a torsion spring crossbow, traditionally using sinew for the springs. The ballista ( Latin, from Greek βαλλίστρα - ballistra, from - βάλλω ballō, "to throw" plural ballistae The ballista ( Latin, from Greek βαλλίστρα - ballistra, from - βάλλω ballō, "to throw" plural ballistae A spring is a flexible elastic object used to store mechanical Energy. A tendon (or sinew) is a tough band of Fibrous connective tissue that usually connects Muscle to Bone and is capable of withstanding tension The earliest form of the ballista (and of the European crossbow) is thought to have been the gastraphetes or belly-bow, developed for Dionysius I of Syracuse, in Sicily circa 400 BC. The gastraphetes (from Ancient Greek γαστραφέτης, English translation: "belly-bow" was a hand-held Crossbow used by the Dionysius I or Dionysius the Elder (ca 432&ndash367 BC Greek: Διονύσιος) Tyrant of Syracuse, conquered several cities It was used as a siege weapon. A siege engine is a device that is designed to Break or circumvent City walls and other Fortifications in Siege warfare. It has a high degree of efficiency because of the low inertia of the torsion springs, but the sinew will lose tension under humid conditions. A torsion spring is a spring that works by torsion or twisting that is a flexible elastic object that stores Mechanical energy when it is twisted It was usually operated by one (the "Scorpion" ballista) to three men. It shoots large arrows or stones. Nowadays, ballista-bows have been constructed.

Modern bow types

Recurve bow

Main article: Recurve bow

Some bows are recurved, with the ends bending away from the archer when the bow is unstrung. A "recurve bow" in modern archery usually describes a specific type of modern bow, usually made mainly of fibreglass.

Compound bow

Main article: Compound bow

A compound bow is a modern bow that has pulleys, cams, or wheels at the end of each limb through which the bow string passes. A compound bow is a modern bow that uses a levering system usually of cables and Pulleys to bend the limbs A compound bow is a modern bow that uses a levering system usually of cables and Pulleys to bend the limbs A pulley (also called a sheave or block) is a Wheel with a groove between two Flanges around its Circumference A cam is a projecting part of a rotating Wheel or shaft that strikes a Lever at one or more points on its circular path As the bow is drawn, the pulleys or cams turn, which in turn changes the leverage of the bows' limbs. They are normally made to give a high resistance in the middle of the draw, and significant "let-off" at the end; this enables the bow to store a lot of energy while still being easy to hold and aim at full draw. They are little affected by changes in temperature or humidity and will give high speed at a lower draw weight compared to the simple bow. Unlike traditional bows, compound bows are always made of modern materials such as aluminium and carbon fiber. They were first developed and patented by Holless Wilbur Allen in the United States in the 1960s and have become increasingly popular. Holless Wilbur Allen was the inventor of the Compound bow. was granted to him in December 1969 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

With a traditional bow, the force required to draw the bow increases as the bow is drawn. This limits the total amount of energy and means that when the archer is at full draw and aiming, they have to hold the maximum draw weight of the bow.

Related weapons

• Whip bow: an arrow or dart attached via a notch in its forward end to the knotted end of a cord attached at the other end to a flexible stick. The stick is used to 'whip' or slingshot the dart forward, and the knotted cord releases from the notch. Mainly a children's toy, this "bow" is described in The American Boy's Handy Book. The American Boy's Handy Book is a Handbook of activities intended for boys written by a founder of the Boy Scouts of America, Daniel Carter In the United Kingdom this is known, for an unknown reason, as a 'French Arrow'.
• Atlatl: Spearthrower or woomera. Although the darts are often fletched, there is no bow or significant amount of stored energy before release. The atlatl relies instead on leverage.

See also

• Quiver
• Bow Draw
• Arrow
• archery
• Horseback archery
• Fletching

Bow construction techniques

• Cable-backed bow
• Self bow
• Compound bow
• Laminated bow
• Composite bow

Bow forms

• Decurve bow
• Deflex bow
• Recurve bow
• Reflex bow

Notes

References

• "The Traditional Bowyer's Bible Volume 1". The Lyons Press, 1992. ISBN 1-58574-085-3.
• "The Traditional Bowyer's Bible Volume 2". The Lyons Press, 1992. ISBN 1-58574-086-1.
• "The Traditional Bowyer's Bible Volume 3". The Lyons Press, 1994. ISBN 1-58574-087-X.
• U. Stodiek/H. Paulsen, "Mit dem Pfeil, dem Bogen. . . " Techniken der steinzeitlichen Jagd. (Oldenburg 1996).
• Gray, David, "Bows of the World". The Lyons Press, 2002. ISBN 1-58574-478-6.
• Comstocks, Paul. "The Bent Stick"

External links

• Archery guide for beginner archers
• Short Bows and Long Bows: Scaling effects in archery
• An Approach to the Study of Ancient Archery using Mathematical Modelling
• Traditional Asian archery
• Simon Archery Collection