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Bow and Arrow

1 July, 2008 By

Bow

A bow is a weapon that shoots arrows propelled by the elasticity of the bow. As the bow is drawn, energy is stored in the limbs of the bow and transformed into rapid motion when the string is released, with the string transferring this force to the arrow. Bows are used for hunting and sport (target shooting), and as a weapon of war. The use of bow and arrow goes back into the paleolithic. The bow was man’s constant companion and has been the most widely used of all weapons in recorded history. The bow allowed the prehistoric human to become the most efficient hunter on earth, providing him safety, food and raw materials such as bone, sinew and hide. From that time on, archery has played an important role in many of the world’s civilizations.

The technique of using a bow is called archery. Someone who makes bows is known as a bowyer, and one who makes arrows a fletcher. the bow was one of the first ranged weapons or hunting tools which used mechanical principles, instead of relying solely on the strength of its user.

Many bow designs have been used in different cultures and time periods. The most common design was the longbow, which was used in Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Asia. A longbow is a type of bow that is tall (roughly equal to the height of a person who uses it), is not significantly recurved and has relatively narrow limbs, that are circular or D-shaped in cross section. It will normally allow its user a fairly long draw, at least to the jaw.

A recurve bow is a form of bow defined by the side-view profile; in contrast to the simple longbow, a recurve bow has tips that curve away from the archer when the bow is unstrung. A recurve bow stores more energy than an equivalent straight-limbed bow, giving a greater amount of cast to the arrow. A recurve bow was preferred by archers in environments where long weapons could be cumbersome, such as in brush and forest terrain, or while on horseback. Recurve bows made out of composite materials were used by Hyksos, Huns, Turks, Mongols, and Chinese.

A composite bow is a bow made from different materials laminated together, usually applied under tension. Different materials are used in order to take advantage of the properties of each material. Asiatic composite bow, which normally uses horn on the belly and sinew on the back of a wooden core. Sinew and horn will store more energy than wood for the same length of bow. Some Mongolian composite bows are known to have been able to produce a draw weight of nearly 160 lb.

Arrow

the arrow was a propelled and projecting weapon for piercing the targeted body. It consisted of a straight shaft with a sharp arrowhead on one end, and feathers, that were attached to the rear end, to stabilizing the arrow’s flight. In prehistorical times, arrowheads were first made of bone, flint, quarz, and, of course, obsidian, which was the most widely used material. The wooden shaft was split at one end; then the arrowhead was firmly tied in the split shaft with sinews.

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