Author Topic: VIKING BOWS!!!  (Read 68628 times)

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Young Viking

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VIKING BOWS!!!
« on: September 19, 2008, 02:45:34 am »
Hallo friends,
I am very new to this site and blogging in general, so please bare with me...
I have been learning ho to shoot my recurve bow for about 6 months so far and thanks to this site ame inspired to build my own bow for the first time!
So I ask you experts out there, to help my build a bow that the Vikings of Norway would have used to hunt small game! i hunt Rabbit, squirrel, also turkey in the spring!
I live in Connecticut, USA now if that would help you know what types of trees I have available ( alot of nice woods near me too(. So obtaining the wood isn't an issue!)
Hope to hear back soon!
Danke!
-Young Viking

Offline Cromm

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2008, 05:53:06 am »
Hi sent you a PM....

And Welcome to PA i hope you enjoy it as much as i have so far!!!!!
Great Britain.
Home of the Longbowman.

Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2008, 06:08:22 am »
 I don't really know about the design of Viking bows, but there are a bunch of people on here who can probably point you in the right direction.  As far as wood you can probably find some hickory, elm, or black locust in your area.  Other types as well I'm sure, but those are the ones I'm familiar with which should be pretty easy to come by.  Good luck and Welcome.
Traverse City, MI

Offline Pappy

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2008, 06:45:42 am »
Welcome Y V  I can't help you on this one but looks like you are in good hands already.  :)
   Pappy
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Offline islandpiper

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2008, 09:53:48 am »
Hmmm, interesting.   Somehow I never pictured Vikings with bows, just swords and clubs.  I guess it is logical that they would have developed bows.  I'm guessing that after raiding what is now Great Briton and Turkey and Spain, and the North American continent they would have had the opportunity to meld their bow designs and come up with something that would have worked in several different sorts of situations. 

Piper
« Last Edit: September 19, 2008, 10:02:52 am by islandpiper »

Offline Pat B

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2008, 09:59:05 am »
Welcome Young Viking. We have a member in Finland that may have the info you are looking for. The rest of us can help you with tillering and finishes.     Pat
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Papa Matt

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2008, 10:10:22 am »
Indeed, I believe most of us will be ignorant on this subject, but we are anxious to see what you come up with, I assure you  ;D

~~Papa Matt

Papa Matt

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2008, 10:19:15 am »
Here's a page I found that has some info on bows and arrows in viking history.

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manufacturing/text/viking_bow.htm


~~Papa Matt

Far East Archer

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2008, 11:32:35 am »
Guten tag meiner Freund!  :)
Wie geht es dir?

Btw, welcome!
Here is general topic on what you are interested in: http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/5129/t/Viking-Hedeby-bows.html?page=1

I can find more if needed  ;)

Alex

Offline Cromm

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2008, 11:35:57 am »
I've read somewhere that the Norsemen would shoot arrows up into the air at the other side just as the shield walls hit each other.
So you had to choose; keep your shield down to take on the guy running at you and get hit in the head with arrows or bring the shield up to stop the arrows and take an axe to the body......
Great Britain.
Home of the Longbowman.

Offline Scowler

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2008, 11:42:55 am »
Greetings Young Viking!  Viking longbows are very much like english longbows.  Flat back, rounded belly and as tall as the archer.  This design has been used in Europe for at least 5,000 years.  Viking longbows do not have horn tips and are normally not as powerful as english warbows.  The Regia Anglorum website has some interesting information on Viking archery.  Sorry for any multiple posts.  Had some trouble posting this.

Offline JackCrafty

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2008, 11:59:24 am »
There's lots of physical evidence for the use of longbows in Northern Europe during the time of the Vikings.  They were usually made of yew, but there are also examples of elm.  Here's a good thread.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,2861.45.html


Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

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Offline son of massey

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2008, 05:01:18 pm »
  as has been mentioned, vikings did use basically longbows, but a simplified version to what is often pictured.   at the same time, things like the holmegaard would have been in their lineage, and it is possible that there were some remnants of creative bowyery still alive.   finally, the lapplanders made up lots of nomadic tribes that would wander the arctic circle, and it is possible that they did not used the longbow style.   a common argument for longbows is given in that they are easily constructed and standardized-good for arming a fighting force.   tribes, families, artisans, etc would not have had that stipulation.   at the same time, the wood options there were somewhat limited to things like elm, yew, and birch type trees.
   viking "empires" at different times included bits of north america, africa, asia, europe-they have found period danish money in trade by the people of the sahara.   the vikings would have, as mentioned, used many bows of different types.  those found now that we can attribute to having characteristic norse designs will likely be almost all longbows-but that doesnt mean when pillaging pocketbooks and women they would have turned down fine shooting weapons. SOM

Offline mullet

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #13 on: September 19, 2008, 11:38:25 pm »
  Welcome Viking, My friend Claude just got back from Denmark. He came back with a lot of pictures from the museums there. Among them was a whole section of Viking bows thrown in the Bogs for ceremonial purposes. The bogs and burial mounds are where most of the artifacts have come from. Almost all the bows in the museums are long bow style except for a few short bows that are either Asian or Roman influenced. I'll see if he will email me the pictures and I will post them.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Young Viking

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Re: VIKING BOWS!!!
« Reply #14 on: September 22, 2008, 01:14:49 am »
WOW. This is quite possibly the greatest site ever. Thank you all so much for the speedy and great responses! I wish i had alot of knowledge to share with you all. But my inspiration is that one day, hopefully someone will ask me to teach them after I learn from you all! I will try to respond to you all individually, im simply drained of energy now though, just split the next seasons firewood, found some red oak near our woods too :o! off to a good start now!
I will try my hardest to learn more and put together my experience on a blog soon! and im sure ill be pestering you all with many question along the way! haha
I suppose my goal is to build a longbow then! 6'1'' tall(my height)!! This will be very fun!
Good folk here!
Dankeschoen!!!!!!
-Young Viking