History channel.....

[JBiorn]

I am watching this really good show right now. They are explaining the ancient Egyptians' weaponry.

 Now, these guys are talking about ancient composite bows shooting like 300fps!! Are they just screwy, or is this reality?

 If this is the case, I have just GOT to have one of these bows!


 Jeff

[John57]

They make it up as they go along.
Remember how the experts are always going on about the average English longbow being 100-180lb,,,,,yeah great,,the bows found on the Mary rose all measured 90lb or less,,,,all of them,,,LOL.

[OconeeDan]

Those guys didn't seem to be the experts they pretended to be.  The 300fps was a wee bit on the fast side.  Note that they were explaining paradox, and they said they call it "fish tailing".  Well, most archers call it paradox.  
I guess it looked good to the masses that don't know better.
Dan

[JBiorn]

I was laughing a bit about the paradox thing, too.

 Jeff

[Patience]

I don't know about 300 fps, but (i could be mistaken about the group) the huns launched arrows from their small horse bows, distances that are still not equalled.

[Van/TX]

Wouldn't the turkish flight bows shoot at least that fast?  Probably faster?...Van

[Jake H]

John57,

I'd be curious to know where you're getting your information from.

If you read Hardy or Soar or Strickland or, particularly, Kooi, you'll find substantially higher numbers than '90lbs or less'.   Since they're working with data from the actual recovered staves (to say nothing of the actual staves), I think they're in a position to comment.

Bows made by Roy King, official bowyer to the Mary Rose Trust, based on the the dimensions of the recovered bows, came in at 102.5 to 135lbs. (per Strickland)

If you're going to accuse people of making it up as they go along, at LEAST cite your sources.

Jake
(who wonders why people have so much trouble with the concept of heavy warbows)

[tim-flood]

did you see how big that piece on sinew was it must have been from an ox!!  then he says that you wrap it around the bow!!
Pretty cool looking bows any way