According to various estimates, the first bows appeared several tens of thousands of years ago. Subsequently, this weapon was constantly changing, and its evolution led to the emergence of new varieties with certain characteristics. One of the main results of such processes was the emergence of the so-called. compound bow. Distinguished by the increased complexity of design and manufacture, such a weapon showed higher characteristics.
History and versions
It is believed that the composite bow was invented by the nomadic peoples of the Great Steppe. The first archaeological finds with features of a complex structure date back to the 3rd millennium BC. Other finds, which are distinguished by a more perfect design, date back to later periods, up to our era.
According to one of the versions, a shortage of materials contributed to the emergence of a complex structure. In the steppe, it was difficult to find suitable trees for making a simple bow, but gunsmiths found a way out of this situation. The new type of bow was less demanding on the size of wooden blanks, although it needed different materials.
The resulting design showed advantages over the existing ones, which contributed to its spread throughout Eurasia, as well as in North Africa. There are many variants of such a bow, created by different peoples for their own needs and taking into account the needs. With all this, the improvement of the design continued, and the search for new effective manufacturing technologies was carried out.
Design and technology
Composite bows differed from other types of bows by the structure of the shaft. This product was not made from a single piece of wood and not from several wooden parts, as on simple or composite bows. In different versions of the composite bow, the handle and shoulders could consist of many wooden and horn parts fastened with tendons or leather strips.
The general technology for making such a bow has not undergone major changes throughout history. The base of the future shaft was made of suitable wood. In this capacity, birch, maple, etc. were considered. - depending on the area of manufacture. The blanks were soaked, steamed and molded as needed. Then they were glued together, reinforcing the joints with skin or tendons. At these stages, the shape of the future bow was determined.
Individual parts of the shaft, such as the ends with grooves for the bowstring, were reinforced by gluing horn plates. Horn or bone plates were also glued to the inside of the bow. The system in the form of several layers of horn and wood made it possible to deform the bow when pulling the bowstring and accumulate significant energy, but provided the required strength. The finished shaft could be dyed, covered with thin leather or other materials.
Depending on the materials, technology and type of bow, the manufacturing process could take from several months to several years. The timing of the work was negatively affected by the need for long-term and high-quality drying of the adhesive joints. In addition, in order to create the correct shape, the shaft was bent in the opposite direction almost into a ring at some stages - it also took time to fix such a deformation.
The compound bow was distinguished by an increased tension force, which made special demands on the bowstring. It was made from silk or linen yarn, animal intestines, hair, etc. Different materials provided different characteristics. In addition, they behaved differently under certain external conditions. Usually the bowstring was spun from several dozen separate threads. At the ends, special knots were provided, leaving a loop.
The exact composition of the components, dimensions and technical characteristics depended both on the type of bow, and on the time and place of manufacture, the skills of the craftsman, the wishes of the customer, etc. Moreover, most of the composite bows of different peoples had similar shapes and contours.
The most effective in terms of the ratio of size and characteristics was the sigmoid bow, also known as the Scythian. Its shoulders have a characteristic round curve that merges into straight ends. A Scythian bow without a bowstring bends forward, up to the touch of the shoulders. The height of the weapon in the firing position was within 0.6-1 m.
This design had a major advantage. Due to several bends and other features, the shaft was not a single spring, but the correct combination of several. Due to this, the bow stored and released energy more efficiently. In terms of energy, the composite bow was about a third superior to even the most successful simple designs. This made it possible to reduce the size of the weapon, increase the firing range and / or obtain a greater penetrating effect.
Another important advantage of the complex structure was its long service life. Simple bows and compound bows lose their springiness as they are used. The special multi-component shaft of the composite bow retained its characteristics much longer. Among other things, this allowed the bowstring to be held on the bow almost all the time - it had to be removed only for long-term storage.
Triumphal procession
The successful combination of the main characteristics contributed to the rapid and widespread distribution of the compound bow. Moreover, in just a few centuries, this weapon managed to get to the most distant countries.
For example, in Egypt, the composite bow appeared during the wars with the Hyksos - after the 18th century BC. During the same period, such weapons appeared among the Hittites, Assyrians and other peoples of the region. The new version of the bow quickly replaced the existing ones. By the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. from the Middle East, the new bow falls into the hands of the Cretan-Mycenaean civilization. After a thousand years, the Greeks became acquainted with the sigmoid bow - this time the weapon came from the other side of the world, from the Scythians.
From Central Asia, composite onions came to the territory of modern China. They appreciated the new weapon, and quickly enough it became a familiar attribute of the warriors. The enhanced bow continued its march across Eurasia and ended up in India. As is the case with some other countries, in India the complex structure was considered a good addition to the existing varieties of onions.
As it spread throughout the world, the compound bow underwent significant changes. We used different materials available in specific regions, improved technologies, etc. Much attention was paid to the size and tension force. Thus, the horse archers of the nomadic peoples preferred systems of smaller dimensions, while in India bows were created in the size of almost human height.
Over time, the composite bow appeared in Europe, but did not become widespread and could not supplant other types of throwing weapons. It is believed that such a bow appeared in European lands thanks to the Romans, who took it from the Middle Eastern peoples. He then returned to the region with the nomads.
End of an era
The composite bow has been in service with many armies for several millennia. In some cases, it was supplemented by bows of other varieties, and in other armies, it was the main throwing weapon. The production of bows was accompanied by improvements in design and the emergence of new solutions. However, after many centuries the situation has changed.
The first blow to all bows was the invention of the crossbow. This weapon, using similar principles, showed obvious advantages. However, even for several centuries he failed to completely supplant bows. But in the future, firearms appeared and spread. Even the early, imperfect firearms could compete with both bows and crossbows.
The arms competition ended in a convincing victory for gunpowder and bullets, and the propelling systems left the armies, although they survived as a hunting or sporting weapon. However, the compound bow, unlike other varieties, has largely gone out of use by now. Now you can see such weapons only in museums or at military-historical events. The modern compound bow has taken over the niche of sophisticated but effective weapons with high energy.
