On the structure and affinities of the composite bow by Balfour Henry 1863-1939

Author:Balfour, Henry, 1863-1939
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Bow and arrow, Ethnology
Publisher: London : Harrison and Sons
Published: 1889-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

layer of transversely disposed sinews mixed with glue, extending from side to side, and apparently to assist in keeping together the numerous strips. This does not occur in the " Tatar " bow. The back is covered with a thick layer (c) of longitudinal sinews, slightly mixed with glue, the layer being well coated on the outside with glue, the surface of which is smoothed and polished. The sinew layer appears to be single and not in two strata, as in the " Tatar " bow. Overlying both belly and back is a layer of the finest inner bark of the birch, very delicate, and applied in rhomboidal pieces, as before described (there is no layer of coarser bark), and immediately upon this lies the external coat of lacquer. At the edges the strips of horn (d, d) are exposed and break the seemingly spiral winding of the bark, which is only apparent, as the edges of the pieces on the back and belly do not correspond.

Fig. 11, Plate VI, is taken from a dissection of the belly side of this part, shewing the successive strata—the horn strips (b, b) ; the external side strips (d, d) ; the transverse sinews (k) ; the bark layer (e, e), shewing portions of two pieces; the external lacquer (I), which replaces the bark coat (/), of the " Tatar " bow. A dissection of the back is shown in Fig. 12, where c represents the sinew reinforcement, and c 2 the external surface of this, coated with smooth polished glue.

Fig. 13 shews a transverse section through the middle of the ridge at the commencement of the terminal " ear," corresponding to Fig. 6. The number of horn strips is smaller than at the centre of the arm, shewing that these do not all run the whole length of the arms ; the horn ends abruptly at the commencement of the " ears," about three inches beyond the point at which this section is taken. It is also seen that in the Persian bow the wood base enters less into the formation of the ridge than is the case in the "Tatar" form; the ridge is here almost entirely moulded up from the sinew mass.

A transverse section (Fig. 14) through one of the " ears " shows the hardwood base split up into four pieces, <x, a, a, a. The two smaller pieces commence at the point where the horn ends, and take its place. A new element appears in a flat piece of horn m, running down the centre, at right angles to the faces of the bow. This is a thin horn wedge, thickest at the extremity beyond the nock, to which it gives support. It resembles the similar piece in a Chinese bow in its use, but differs in its traversing the whole length of the " ear," and in never entirely forming the extreme tip beyond the nock. The longitudinal sinews, c, c, surrounding the " ear " are

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