European/African/American Indian traditional bows

[BornBad]

Were usually a wooden 'Self' bow of between 60"-78" (=152cm-198cm) and intended for use from the ground, although the American Indian used the shorter versions very effectively from horseback. The American Indian also often used composite (horn/sinew or wood/sinew) or backed bows.



The traditional yew bow of Europe acted as though it were a composite bow, as it was preferably made of a section of yew taken where the sapwood and heartwood joined. The different properties of the two different wood types allowed the bow to act with the best features of each wood type.



The properties of the 'Self Bow' are such that the minimum length of the bow is (2xDraw length) ie with a draw length of 28 inches (=71 cm), the minimum length of the bow will be 56 inches (=142 cm). The greater the length of the bow, the more even can be the spread of forces built up.



The short bows of the American Indian probably varied between 20-70 pounds, the European hunting bows normally ranged between 40-100 pounds, with the European war bow (eg the Welsh Longbows) ranged from 90-180 pounds.



However, the European war bows were drawn both to the chin and to the chest. Due to their great draw weight, and the fact that they were often used in ranks of archers and fired at large masses of opponants at long range, they were often drawn to the chest (with the bow-string passing down the cleft of the chin) using a longer arrow (36" = 91cm) the 'cloth-yard' shaft, and fired high into the air in massive volleys to fall almost randomly into their targets.



As the ranges got closer and the archers were more able to pick specific targets, they reverted to a more traditional aiming style, with the long arrow drawn past the side of the chin and the fingers of the nock hand back somewhere around the jawbone or ear and aimed normally. The heavy draw weight of these warbows requires a significantly heavier shafted arrow, usually with some form of bodkin head, which had enough weight to strike its target with frightening power.



Indications are that often many warbows were carried half made (as shaped staves) during prolonged campaigns, and finished as and when they were needed during the campaign.



Normal (European) war tactics involved massed ranks of lightly armed or armoured archers firing large volleys of arrows into formations of targets. It was the Welsh Longbow, in the hands of thousands of archers, which effectively obliterated the cavalry force of thousands of French knights at both Agincourt and Crecy. Bad weather and mud were major contributing factors in this, as the French cavalry were unable to close to attack effectively, so that massive volleys of arrows wiped out the opposing crossbowmen and then the French Knights (and their horses).



Woods normally used for these bows:



Europe - Yew, Wytch-Hazel, Elm, Ash



America - Hickory, Osage Orange, Lancewood, Dagame (Lemonwood), Yew, Ash, Juniper, Chokeberry, Maple, Locust



Asia / Pacific Islands - Bamboo, Lancewood



Australia / New Zealand - The local native races down here never had the bow as a hunting or fighting weapon, so there are no traditions.





During the reign of England's King Henry VIII, he was concerned enough about the rapidly decreasing availability of Yew wood for longbows, that he made a law stating that for every Yew bow made, there would also be one made of each of the following timbers :- Wytch-Hazel, Brazil, Elm, Ash He also made it a law requiring every male in the kingdom to practice with the longbow, and decreed that it was not murder if anyone killed someone between the target and firing line during practice.









Written by: Rob McNeur