The Holmegaard artifact location and stuff

[Gary Mac]

Does anyone know of the current location of where the original Holmegaard bow artifact is kept?
Might anyone have any pics of the actual artifact that was found in Denmark?

Searched the web but could not find anything?

Also, does anyone have a complete set of dimensions for this bow as I want to build one!

Thanks

[Pat B]

Paul Comstock, in his chapter in TBBII, "Ancient European Bows" stated that the oldest Holmegaard found on the island of Zealand in Denmark were 8000 years old, made of elm and was 64" long and 2.36" wide with round belly(outside of tree) and flat back. The second oldest came from Gremany was 60" long and 1 3/4" wide and made of yew.  There is more info there but no real details.

[PatM]

http://wiki.lafidelite-constantia.be/mediawiki/index.php/De_Holmegaard_boog
 Google works
 I can't begin to figure out why they thought the bow should be strung the opposite way. Nor can I figure out where the radically stepped in outer limb idea came from.

[Gary Mac]

Wow Pat & Pat,
Been looking for the actual pics of the artifact all over the net.
Thank you so much for taking the time to research it for me. What a treat to see the real thing.

I too get confused why reproductions that are being made contain the larger step in the limb
and flat backs with rounded belly's? (No dis-respect mean't to anyone that has built a repro)

I suppose you can have 2 frame of minds when reconstructing a copy of an ancient bow; 'Based on' - or -
'historically correct.'

I might have a go at the one from Denmark with the round back and flat belly.

Not sure if you guys have read 'Tillering the Holmgaard Bow by Dennis La Varenne.?
It's a paper written to correct Paul Comstock's article on Volume 2 of The Bowyers Buble which
was further rectified in volume 3.

I have a pdf copy if anyone wants one sending? Just let me know.



I owe ya one guys! 

Gary

[half eye]

Gary,
      I'm one of the guys who build the large step, skinny lever types. Don't confuse the Holmegaard with the Mollegabet I'm attaching different pictures so you can see that there are, in fact, differences. First of all the Holmegaard predates the Mollegabte by some 2,000 years and belongs to a completely different culture group. The Holmegaard dates to the Maglemosia culture (7,500-6,000 BC) and the Mollegabet dates to the Ertebolle culture (5,200-3950 BC) There is also evidence (apparently) that the earliest Holmegaards were "high crowned" and as time progressed the height of the crown diminished until the backs became nearly flat. The string knocks on the 2 bows are distinctly different as well with the Mollegabet clearly having a set of pin knocks and the Holmegaard has the early type.
      Here's the drawings and photo, FYI
Rich

[Holten101]

More details (on slow PC´s gve it time to load) use the viewer feature for details:
http://oldtiden.natmus.dk/udstillingen/jaegerstenalderen/jaegerstenalderens_buer_og_pile/verdens_aeldste_buer/language/u/

The artefact is kept in the Nationalmuseet in Copenhagen.

Cheers

Ps: Halfeye...I dont think the nocks of the "Møllegabet" bow has been preserved?

[Gary Mac]

So have some Bowyers been building the Mollegabet model and labeling it a Holmegarrd then?

[PatM]

Almost exclusively. Of course many people have made a true Holmeggard replica unwittingly. It's just a generic no nonsense flatbow that fits the wood used.

[Holten101]

I fully agree with PatM on this one....a Holmegård bow not a "true" lever tipped bow, from what I can see a Møllegabet is. This has been the source of many discussions on countless fora;-)

Cheers