05-04-2007, 10:10 PM
The bow I mentioned above is the Yrzi bow- found thirty miles down the Euphrates.
It is an almost complete composite recurve bow dated to the Parthian period (1st c BC - 3rd C AD), and is now at Yale.
Reconstructed the bow measures 1.275 m across the chord, with the wooden core made up of four parts of oak, elm and a third unidentified wood. Traces of horn on the belly and the tendon on the back survive in places, and the whole was wrapped around with a further layer of shredded tendon in glue to bind all the compnents together.
A replica (made by a Mr McEwan) had a draw weight of c 80 lb. More detail in James , Excavations from Dura Europos Final Report The Arms and Armour.
Cheers
Paul
It is an almost complete composite recurve bow dated to the Parthian period (1st c BC - 3rd C AD), and is now at Yale.
Reconstructed the bow measures 1.275 m across the chord, with the wooden core made up of four parts of oak, elm and a third unidentified wood. Traces of horn on the belly and the tendon on the back survive in places, and the whole was wrapped around with a further layer of shredded tendon in glue to bind all the compnents together.
A replica (made by a Mr McEwan) had a draw weight of c 80 lb. More detail in James , Excavations from Dura Europos Final Report The Arms and Armour.
Cheers
Paul