The bow and arrow is one of man's original hunting items. Bow hunting is almost as old as human history. The traditional longbow, however, is a relatively new item. The longbow is the iconic bow most people imagine when they picture Robin Hood and Middle Ages England. It, like other bow-and-arrow equipment, originated for hunting purposes, but later became a weapon of war and, finally, equipment for festivals and sporting events.
History
The traditional longbow dates back to 13th century Wales. While it was originally used for hunting, it was also used as a defensive weapon and gradually became a key item in the English Army. The extensive military use of the bow and arrow is the primary reason for British victories at Ciécy, Agincourt and Poitiers. The longbow was used in battle until the 16th century, when guns and muskets were placed on the front lines. But because the longbow had been so heavily ingrained in English lifestyle for three centuries, it remained a weapon of sport, reverting to its original use as a hunting item and simultaneously taking on a new life as a competition item.
Speed
The longbow had one distinct quality that its predecessors and contemporaries did not: speed. An arrow shot from a longbow could fly farther and faster than if shot from other bows, making it a more effective hunting device. Such speed also made the longbow a practical war item. A trained archer could shoot 12 arrows in under a minute, and skilled archers could shoot even more. A battalion of archers could fire thousands of arrows in under a minute to decimate an approaching enemy.
Wood
While traditional bows have been made of different kinds of wood, bowmakers found that yew provided the best results. The sapwood, or more exterior wood, is flexible and elastic, affording the bow's ability to bend when you draw the bowstring. The inner heartwood of yew is significantly harder, which makes the bow bounce back to its original shape when you release the bowstring. This contrast between soft sapwood and hard heartwood gives the longbow its ability to fire arrows with ample pressure.
Parts
A traditional bow has relatively few parts. The bow itself is one simple stave of yew, the front of which is the sapwood and the rear of which is the heartwood. At each end of the bow are two nocks, or grooves, that hold your bowstring in place. The grip is located almost at the center of the bow. It is the part you use to hold the bow. The top of the grip is just above the geometric center of the bow. The top of the grip helps steady your arrow and creates a more accurate shot.
Arrows
Traditional arrows were always made of wood and contained four parts. The nock is the groove at the arrow's rear end. It holds the arrow in place against the bowstring. Next is the fletching, which on traditional arrows was made of three goose feathers. The fletching provides stability to the arrow as it flies toward its target. The shaft is the main body of the arrow, and the arrowhead is the pointed tip that makes first contact with your target.
Arrowheads
Traditional arrows featured arrowheads that were made of sharpened stones and rocks. As people learned to melt and mold metals, archers began using arrowheads made of metal. Contemporary archers can use two different arrowheads on a traditional, wooden arrow. The field point is a basic, somewhat blunt metal tip used for practice and target shooting. Broadheads are arrowheads used for hunting big game. Broadheads feature razor-sharp points and three to four extra blades on the sides.
References
- "Sports and Games of the Renaissance"; Andrew Liebs; 2004
- "The Bow Builder's Book: European Bow Building from the Stone Age to Today"; Flemming Alrune, Wulf Hein, Jürgen Junkmanns, Boris Pantel, Holger Reisch, Achim Stegmeyer, Ulli Stehl, Konrad Vögele and Jorge Zschieschang; 2007
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources: Chapter 5: Archery and Bowhunting
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