WTAF 2012

The WTAF was great fun as usual. I was able to meet many new people (including Tawfiq and his brother). My friend, David Betteridge, brought along two bows he made almost 15 years ago. One was a short Western style Scythian bow based on the fragments from the Three Brothers tomb and another was a fairly exact replica of one of the smaller angular composites from Tutankhamen's tomb. Both were horn/wood/sinew composites. the Scythian was designed to shoot the 55 cm arrows that are common in the tombs of the Great Scythians. The angular bow could be drawn over 85 cm without stacking.

The Scythian was roughly 60 lbs at its short draw length and the Egyptian was about 45 lbs at 75 cm.

Angular bow showing Archer's Paradox.

Scythian bow.

Bracing the Scythian. Usually this was a one man job, but the bow had not been shot since a repair and all care was being taken.

Yes the WTAF was fun and more - also a very good place to learn. Between you and David I had the benefit of two very generous encyclopaedias. For once I got more answers than I had questions. Thanks!!

Tawfiq

Bede; Who is shooting that Scyth bow? Got any other pics of the bow? Any numbers?

That is David Betteridge. He made the bow over fifteen years ago as part of some research he was doing on some articles he wrote for the Journal of the Society of Archer-Antiquaries. If you want some measurements, I can ask him. He is getting ready to do some velocity measurements soon.

Sure Bede; Whatever info he has. The more the merrier. Looks like a roundish cross section rather than flattish. Handsome little bow. Leather skin?

Jack,
You are right, it has a round cross section. By memory it is wrapped in sinew and then thin leather.