Bows from Siberia

[Kviljo]

I'm currently writing a paper on so called two-wood bows, and came across these bows from Siberia.
It seems there are very little avaliable information about this type of bow, so I was wondering if any of you knew any litterature that mentions this type of bow? Or perhaps you know anything about them?

Please keep this thread clean of non-information-comments, but don't hesitate to post here if you know anything about these bows


If you would like to search the database yourself, follow this link:
http://anthro.amnh.org/javascript/pub_coll.htm




http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/databases/common/image_dup.cfm?database=asia&catno=70%20%20/%208609&site=P





http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/databases/common/image_dup.cfm?database=asia&catno=70%20%20/%208595&site=P





http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/databases/common/image_dup.cfm?database=asia&catno=70%20%20/%208705&site=P

[PatM]

Google Ragnar Insulander. He has done many studies on this type of bow. You will find plenty of info. There is even a back issue with an article on this style of bow.
 The general construction is compression wood of Pine or Larch, a thin layer of Birch and usually a sinew backing as well. The whole is wrapped with Birch Bark. The ears are spliced in sections.
 Basically a stretched Composite minus the horn. It is either the precursor or an alternative to a true Composite.

[Bishop]

i dont know anything about the bows but that is a cool site....wow.
Bishop

[Kviljo]

Thanks Pat! I see that I didn't express myself the way I really wanted I've got most of Insulanders articles, but they mostly concern the Scandinavian two-wood bows, not these Siberian ones. I guess the construction is pretty much the same, but I'm sort of doing the same as Insulander - reconstructing the Scandinavian medieval two-wood bows, and I would like to use these Siberian bows as guidelines for the reconstruction of the Scandinavian medieval two-wood bows, which we just have fragments of. In other words, I need to go directly to the source of information on these Siberian ones.

Some good close-up photos would have been great, or a thorough study of their construction and geographical spread over the last thousand years  

[wolfsire]

Cool study.  I think there was a reference in TBBIV, maybe III, to siberian bows.  I think it discussed using the compion wood from the underside of a pine branch.

[PatM]

 There is too much individual variation between  bows and bowyers to make it so definite.
 It's like when someone wants to make a "Plains" bow and makes it sound like they are identical.
 Those pictures seem to give a pretty good indication of the construction.
 I see far more similarities than differences between the Siberian and Scandinavian.
 You should make a replica in Bamboo and Ipe with spliced in Siyahs. That would be nice as a modern compromise.

[backgardenbowyer]

There is an article by Insulander in a journal listed at:
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/sabo/2002/00000019/00000001/art00004

I got a free on line copy 'cos I work in a university and we subscribe to these things so if you've got an Athens Account try searching for it there.  As I recall the main focus of the article is anthropological so not too much technical info. for bowyers!