The Composite Bow

The composite bow was the reason the Hyksos conquered Egypt, the Romans failed to conquer Parthia, the Crusades failed, and the troops of Genghis Khan defeated every foe they met.

The manufacture of the composite bow was a long process, often taking a year or more, and one demanding a high degree of skill. The wooden core was first bent with the aid of steam so that it curved in the opposite direction from the direction it would be drawn. The back was covered with shredded sinew from the neck of a horse or bull that had been soaked in animal or fish glue and molded to shape. On the belly of the bow, the bowyer glued strips of previously bent horn. After a period of seasoning, the bow was strung – a difficult operation because some bows described almost a full circle, bent away from the belly.

The result was a short bow flexible enough to shoot an extremely long arrow.

The composite bow was invented in central Asia and was the principal weapon of Asian nomads. With it, Scythians, Huns, Mongols, Turks, and other Asian nomads mowed down enemy infantry and cavalry from China to Gaul. It was the most powerful hand weapon before the introduction of gunpowder. Tradi‑tionally, all Turkish sultans had to learn one trade that involved manual labor.

Most of them chose the bowyer’s profession. The English longbow changed warfare in western Europe for a century or so. The composite bow changed warfare in Asia for at least four millennia. We’ll discuss the composite bow further in the Chapter 6.