Changes

Many of the bows were extremely simple and we have a number of finds of bows that still have the bumps and branch accretions left from the removed branches along their backs (Wassenaar, Hedeby). <br>

None of the bows found in the Viking Age have any distinct swelling around the area of the handgrip or show any evidence of having a separate handgrip attached. The bow-staves run roughly parallel along their entire length. The only unique finds of bows that do have a distinct handgrip come from the C7th Alemannic graves at Oberflacht in southern Germany.

To attach the bow string a simple notch or ‘self-nock’ was cut into the bow stave, near both the bow’s terminals. Self-nocks can be either double-nocks or single-nocks, otherwise known as ‘side-nocks’, with similar numbers having been found of each type. The nocks were always cut into the sides of the bow-stave and never into the front or back. <br>

When bows were single-nocked, or side-nocked, then the cut notches are cut into the opposing sides of the bow-stave, top and bottom.<br>

Some bows only had a self-nock at one end of the bow-stave, with the assumption that the bow-string must have been tied on at the other end (Hedeby, Dublin). A manuscript image showing a tied on bow string might also be seen in the Stuttgart Psalter. <br>

It appears that nocks with horn inserts or separately attached horn nocks were not used on self-bows in the Viking Age period. Mary Rose?

Finds of separate nocks have been found, such as the bone example from the C7th grave at Bad Cannstadt in Germany, but these have been identified as coming from a composite bow (Hörnig 2004, p.119). See the section of Eastern style archery for more information.

Some bows have either a secondary set of nocks at one end of the bow-stave (Dublin, Waterford) or alternatively a hole has been drilled through the terminal (Adare Castle) (Halpin 2008, p.59-60).

The secondary set of nocks, known as ‘stringing nocks’ helped in stringing the bow. <><>

The hole drilled through the terminal was probably a ‘string keeper‘. A loop of twine or leather thong was passed through the hole and the bow string with the intention of stopping the bow string from slipping down the bow-stave when unstrung.

We also have evidence for some bows having deliberately bent terminals after the nock points. These bent terminals either pointed towards the shooter (Dublin, Hedeby) or pointed away from the shooter (various manuscripts). Bows with terminals that bend towards the shooter, otherwise known as ‘deflexed’, are considered to be a diagnostic characteristic of a ‘Viking’ bow. These bent terminals were purely decorative and did not affect the ability of the bow in any way (Halpin 2008, p.???). <br>

'''Art'''<br>

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

'''Archaeology'''<br>

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These were probably made from hemp, linen or silk. The evidence seems to point at hemp being the most commonly used material (Halpin 2008, p.61). Bow strings were usually 3 to 4mm thick and made from 3 ply twine (Altdorf, Switzerland (Hörnig 2004, p.110))<br>

'''Archaeology'''<br>