Difference between revisions of "Bows"

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Self-bows

Bows in this period are classed as self-bows, being made from a single piece of D section wood, usually yew. Nocks are cut straight into the wood. ^{[HALPIN 2008]:p.40-41}

Art
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Literature

• ^{[MANLEY 1985]}
• ^{[STEPHENSON 2007]}

Archaeology

• Waterford, Ireland
• Ballinderry, Ireland, late C10th. ^{[HALPIN 2008]:p.184-185} 1 Complete bow.
• Dublin, Ireland, C11th / C12th. ^{[HALPIN 2008]:p.184-185} 1 Complete bow, 7 bow fragments.
• Hedeby, Denmark, ^{[PAULSEN 1999]} 1 Complete, 6 fragments
• Leiden, Netherlands, 800-950AD ^{[DE STOUTE 2008]} 1 Complete bow

Other finds:
Nydem, Vimose and Kragehul, Denmark bog finds also had bows and arrows.

... with deflexed nocks

A deflexed nock is where the nock is deliberately strongly angled towards the string.
Art

• T64 BL Harley f.64r
  
• T84 Vatican Reg.12 f.24v
  

Archaeology
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Discussion
Almost all of the Anglo-Saxon manuscripts show bows with nocks deflexed away from the archer, the complete reverse of the deflexed nocks found in archaeology.

Re-curved (Reflexed) Self-bow

A re-curve self-bow is where the stave of the bow is deliberately curved away from the string.

Archaeology

• Ballinderry, Ireland, late C10th. ^{[HALPIN 2008]:p.184-185} 1 Complete bow.
• Hedeby, Denmark, ^{[PAULSEN 1999]}

Discussion
Many of the Hedeby bows are shaped this way, along with the Ballinderry bow from Ireland. Paulsen ^{[PAULSEN 1999]} makes the case that this is “caused by shrinkage of the soft sapwood in the front”, a theory that is rejected by Halpin ^{[HALPIN 2008]:p.61} who cites a number of authors including Hardy who makes the comment that the bows from the Mary Rose were also re-curved and “that no process during the lifetime of the bows, or after deposition, are convincing explanations for this feature”.

Bow Strings

Archaeology

• Wincott Heckett has suggested that a tablet-woven tubular silk cord, dated to mid C12th, from Waterford may be a bowstring. ^{[HALPIN 2008]:p.61} Halpin then quotes Soar who suggests that the most common material for bow strings was hemp.
• York, England. A lump of beeswax with a groove caused by rubbing against a thread or string. Walton-Rogers comments that beeswax was often used on bow strings ^{[WALTON ROGERS 1997]:p.1785}

Discussion
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See Also

Catalogue of Bow finds
Archery

References

• ^{[DE STOUTE 2008] ^} de Stoute, Jur. Paleo Planet, Archery - Primitive Bows - 1200 year old longbow from Netherlands. 12 05 2008. http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/reply/190064/Close--pics--1200-year-old-longbow--Netherlands-discussion#reply-190064.
• ^{[HALPIN 2008] ^ 1 2 3 4 5 6} Halpin, Andrew. Weapons and Warfare in Viking and Medieval Dublin. National Museum of Ireland, 2008.
• ^{[MANLEY 1985] ^} Manley, John. “The Archer and the Army in the Late Saxon Period.” Anglo-SAxon Studies in Archaeology and History 4, 1985: 223 - 235.
• ^{[PAULSEN 1999] ^ 1 2 3} Paulsen, H. “Pfiel und Bogen in Haithabu.” In Neue Ausgrabungen in Haithabu; Band 33: Das archäologische Fundmaterial VI, by A. Geibig and H. Paulsen. 1999.
• ^{[STEPHENSON 2007] ^} Stephenson, I. P. The Late Anglo-Saxon Army. Tempus, 2007
• ^{[WALTON ROGERS 1997] ^} Walton Rogers, Penelope. Textile Production at 16-22 Coppergate. AY17-11. York Archeological Trust, 1997.