Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Josh Wilson on October 29, 2012, 08:09:05 pm

Title: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Josh Wilson on October 29, 2012, 08:09:05 pm
"...from the period of the longbow's greatness (c.1250 - 1500 AD) not one bowstave 1, of the tens of thousands known to have been produced, has survived. Indeed, until the discovery of the Mary Rose, we had no medieval bows at all. It is therefore quite surprising to consider that from the first millennium somewhere in the region of 40 - 50 bowstaves have survived with traces of many others having been found. As with most weapons finds, most of these come from pagan grave finds..."

http://www.regia.org/SaxonArchery.htm

Does anyone know anything about the 40-50 bows found in bogs and burials in pre-conquest England? What weight of pull they might have had?

What was the poundage of the Iceman's bow?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Matt_H on October 29, 2012, 09:49:36 pm
Otzi the icemans yew bow was never finished, it was just roughed out.

as for the others just google around a bit, there's stuff on mollegabet (9200 years ago) and meare heath out there amongst others. I believe the oldest found recently in southern Europe is from La Draga in spain (5400-5200 BC). Pieces of bow from Stellmoor in Germany (?) were dated to 11,500 years ago.

However in Africa there are arrow heads dating from 60,000 years ago.
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: sharpend60 on October 29, 2012, 11:12:09 pm
60,000 years?

I new archery has been cool for a long time but my god....
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Mike_H on October 30, 2012, 10:37:51 am
Otzi the icemans yew bow was never finished, it was just roughed out.

as for the others just google around a bit, there's stuff on mollegabet (9200 years ago) and meare heath out there amongst others. I believe the oldest found recently in southern Europe is from La Draga in spain (5400-5200 BC). Pieces of bow from Stellmoor in Germany (?) were dated to 11,500 years ago.

However in Africa there are arrow heads dating from 60,000 years ago.

Size does not support the use of the bow alone.  North American points were small by today's standards but were pre bow and arrow. Without direct evidence such as bow or arrow fragments or whole items it cannot be confirmed.
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Parnell on October 30, 2012, 10:53:57 am
I did a replica of the Ashcott bow depicted in TBB2.  Which I believe was a bog bow, can't remember the time frame.

I made it from hickory, so not authentic in terms of wood, but the dimensions were the same and it pulled just over 50# at 27".
I figure "hunting bows" like this must have had shorter average draw lengths of say 24".  People were smaller, supposedly.

It is still functioning, 3 years later.
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Pat B on October 30, 2012, 11:00:45 am
If I'm not mistaken, bows evolved simultaneously around the world from 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. Lithics that preceded that were probably atlatl or spear points or knife blades.
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: bhenders on October 30, 2012, 11:15:42 am
Hmm, that old Pat?  I thought it was more around 9 to 10 k ago for bow development.
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Pat B on October 30, 2012, 01:17:44 pm
bhenders, whats a few Ks amongst friends!  ;D I think 12k is what I heard but don't know for sure.
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Josh Wilson on October 30, 2012, 06:31:58 pm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11086110
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Starfire on October 30, 2012, 07:24:56 pm
Neat, but unless a 60,000 year old bow is found it's really hard to say whether they were arrows or spears.
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Mike_H on October 30, 2012, 07:31:10 pm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11086110

"The scientists unearthed 64,000 year-old "stone points", which they say were probably arrow heads. "
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: DavidV on October 30, 2012, 08:48:03 pm
...Don't want to steal the thread but I have a question...

I've always been fascinated by how my ancestors may have lived  and hunted. I have Italian and German heritage and I've wondered what style of bows both areas used in the stone age through to the middle ages. Can't find much on the internet. Anyway I just wanted to make a similar style bow with similar wood one day.
Title: Re: Question on Archeologicaly Found Bows
Post by: Matt_H on November 01, 2012, 10:41:19 am
Otzi the icemans yew bow was never finished, it was just roughed out.

as for the others just google around a bit, there's stuff on mollegabet (9200 years ago) and meare heath out there amongst others. I believe the oldest found recently in southern Europe is from La Draga in spain (5400-5200 BC). Pieces of bow from Stellmoor in Germany (?) were dated to 11,500 years ago.

However in Africa there are arrow heads dating from 60,000 years ago.

Size does not support the use of the bow alone.  North American points were small by today's standards but were pre bow and arrow. Without direct evidence such as bow or arrow fragments or whole items it cannot be confirmed.

Yes, you're right of course...I should have put "presumed or probable arrow heads"