Looking for expert bowyer to build exact replica of olive wood bow from Israel

[egurevich]

I am looking for an expert bowyer, someone who is experienced with olive wood, who can build me an exact replica of a bow called "Cave of the Warrior Bow" that is about 6000 years old and was found in a cave in the Judean desert in Israel together with other artifacts in a grave of a warrior. I already ordered this bow recently from a bowyer who unsuccessfully tried building it, but both times the bow cracked. So need to find someone who is experienced with olive and Assyrian type bows who can succeed.

I am attaching the detailed archaeological report of the bow (split into 3 files due to restrictions on file size on the forum) and the arrows that were found with it. The report on the bow has a detailed drawing with the exact dimensions and the shape of that bow.

The bibliography of the archaeological report is:
IAA (Israel Antiquities Authority) Report 5. T. Schick and Others, The Cave of the Warrior: A Fourth Millennium Burial in the Judean Desert, 1998, 137 pp.

Thanks in advance.
Eli

[Thesquirrelslinger]

So its a deflex-recurve? I am not an expert... plus I don't have olive wood.
But I think I get how it would work.

[egurevich]

I have never seen it. The original was found cracked in half at the burial and the archaeologists think that it was cracked on purpose during the funeral as a tribute to the warrior (i.e. no one gets to keep his bow). So the bow pictured is the reconstruction that was done by Mcewen by putting the 2 pieces together and then making his own replica.

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Must it be olive wood?
Could it be another similar wood that could be stained(and is stronger)?
Perhaps... it was backed with something that has decayed.

[egurevich]

They did not find any evidence of backing. I would like olive wood, because I want it to be authentic. All the famous bow woods don't really grow in Israel, which is why this one was made from olive, because it's probably the most abundant tree here.

[Joec123able]

Reminds me of the Egyptian bows

[Gus]

Cool Thread...

Thanks for posting.
I've been looking for this design for a while.

I've seen several bows made from Olive.
Just have to find the Right Piece of Olive...

Think I'll build this design out of other more forgiving woods before I'd try it with Olive.

Regards,

-gus

[rossfactor]

I would look up Lukasz Nawalny if I were you.  Here are some of his outstanding bows of similar design.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,24280.msg326043.html#msg326043

Gabe

[criveraville]

cool thread..

Cipriano

[egurevich]

Gus.
If you do end up making it and it works I am interested in buying it. Keep me posted.
Thanks
Eli

[egurevich]

Thanks Gabe. I sent Lukasz a message.

[egurevich]

I contacted Lukasz Nawalny and it sounds like he will do this. By the way, he said that he thinks that many ancient drawings show this bow strung backwards. The bow is supposed to be strung so it's shaped like a triangle with the tips curving out. The drawings instead show the bow strung in its relaxed form with the tips straight and the curve in the center. He thinks it's an artists mistake who did not really know how this bow was supposed to look strung. The problem is that if you string the bow like that it can barely shoot because there is not enough reflex. I tend to agree, although ancient drawings are a big puzzle. How can so many people could have made a mistake if they saw this bow used in battle and for hunting?

[mullet]

James Parker made an Egyptian bow very similer to what Lukasz was talking about. It won Bow of the Month on here a year or two ago.

[egurevich]

This one:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,20555.0.html

I saw it. It was an awesome bow.

[Jodocus]

Looking at the cave of the warrior bow, it seems obvious that it must be strung the way james parker's outstanding egytian bow is strung.

but the tips speak for the ancient artists' interpretation. And quite clearly so, at least in my eyes.

Odd idea, to deflex the tips.