Bow length around the world

[Dictionary]

This has been a question ive wanted to here some answers to. I read a thread here a while back asking why western indian bows were so short. In reality compared to the rest of the world's bows, all of the natives bows were relatively short. Averaging a number of indian bows  gave an average length of 56 inches in length which is relatively short in comparasin to the world. South American bows are easily 7 feet tall with very large arrows. English bows were easily 7 feet long. African bows ive seen depend on the tribe. Some were very short being only 3 feet and others 7 feet long. Andaman bows were very long.  Im wondering wha you guys think determine how bow length evolved with certain groups of people. The eastern woodlands are pretty open yet many still opted for a very short bow. The jungles of South America and New Guinea are very dense yet they opted for very long bows. Yet both people's had access to very dense wood suitable for making various styles of bows. Europe has a very similar temperate environment to North America yet Europeans used longer bows for hunting and warfare with very long draw lengths while natives are on the opposite side of the spectrum with short bows and short draw lengths.

What do you guys determined bow length in different parts of the world then?

[adb]

I think Native American bows were short because they primarily used them on horseback. I think they were also limited by material size in some areas.

[sleek]

But what about before the Spaniards introduced horses to North America?

[turtle]

I  would think that numerous reasons added together depicts average bow lengths. Height of people using them,available material, climate, particular use of the bow, terrain, as well as cultural traditions.

[SLIMBOB]

TBB III has a chapter by Tim Baker on Bows of the World, that looks into this question.  The environment in which the peoples lived shaped the styles and designs.  It determined the woods available, the climate in which they were used, what game was being pursued etc, etc.  Good read.  Quite a few others as well.

[Dictionary]

Not all natives had access or even when they did have access did they use horses. I dont see how climate or environment affects it since Andaman, New Guinea's, and South American bows were in excess of 7 feet and they live in some of the densest environments in the world. While the plains indians did use short bows on horses, other groups in NA living in open woodlands not using horses, still used short bows. I dont understand it.

[SLIMBOB]

If not the environment, then what?

[sleek]

It does seem to me off hand that the areas with the longest bows also were the most humid ( the jungles ), and the shortest were in the drier areas ( the Plains Indians ) Perhaps this has to do with amount of set a short bow takes in high humidity?

[darwin]

I think that the type of wood available had a big impact on how long a bow could be, as we all know different woods prefer certain types of designs, not to mention you cant make a long bow out of a short stave so if there were no trees that grew to suitable size you would make do with what you had, and some woods perform very differently at different temperature and humidity.

Now someone is going to say well if you know what you are doing then you can build any type of bow out of any kind of wood. My answer is yes you are more or less right, however you have to keep in mind that subsistence hunter and gathers are going to want to make a quick easy bow that will make meat and be durable so they will be looking for the path of least resistance. If that means making their tropical hardwood bow 7 feet (do to poor tension strength) even though they are in the jungle that's what they will  do.

Just my two cents

[Oglala Bowyer]

Touché Darwin. Also keep in mind that culture played a huge role as well. I know historically for the lakotas that the birth of our bows was thru vision. 

[Dictionary]

It does seem to me off hand that the areas with the longest bows also were the most humid ( the jungles ), and the shortest were in the drier areas ( the Plains Indians ) Perhaps this has to do with amount of set a short bow takes in high humidity?

I dont think primitive peoples gave set near as much emphasis that we do here on primitivearcher.

Touché Darwin. Also keep in mind that culture played a huge role as well. I know historically for the lakotas that the birth of our bows was thru vision. 

I dont know what you inserted Darwin for in the discussion as this has nothing to do with survival of the fittest nor the misconception that one bow design was "better" than the other. but culture is a very vague reasoning for this. Culture is impacted by everything including environment,climate, population of the group,etc...

[Bryce]

I asked a PNW coast native why they made bows so short. He told me its bc there practical. Why have a bow that 7' when your only shooting 20yards. Plus long limbs get caught in the thick brush and isn't easy to carry through the forest or get in position for a shot. And a short bow can easily be slid into a quiver to get it out of a down pour. It was also a regional style that had a deep and profound meaning.

environment and climate is key. It's foolish to argue otherwise.

[Carson (CMB)]

Now someone is going to say well if you know what you are doing then you can build any type of bow out of any kind of wood. My answer is yes you are more or less right, however you have to keep in mind that subsistence hunter and gathers are going to want to make a quick easy bow that will make meat and be durable so they will be looking for the path of least resistance. If that means making their tropical hardwood bow 7 feet (do to poor tension strength) even though they are in the jungle that's what they will  do.

Just my two cents

Dictionary, I think Oglala was referring to username Darwin, not darwinian evolution

Darwin, from what I understand, peoples of the tropics used palm rather than the tropical hardwoods we modern bowyers like to make use of in laminated bows.  I don't know the properties of palm, but I tend think it is tension strong like bamboo. 

I don't think quick and easy and durable were the operating standards of most subsistence hunters.  Look at the composite bows of  western North America, or the cable backed bows of the Inuit. Certainly not the path of least resistance. I think the bow was also important culturally as a means of showing ones skill.  A means of showing off. 

[rossfactor]

I've read how some of the Yuman tribes in southern California (the Diegueno and maybe others) made 6 to 8 foot long bows out of willow and mesquite.

Gabe

[Dictionary]

Dictionary, I think Oglala was referring to username Darwin, not darwinian evolution
 

Oops. I figured someone here would throw out the idea that one group of people simply chose a specific design because they were more superior to another group of people.

Bryce, why do you think that the South Americans nor the Europeans thought the same way? And once again, sure a short bow is easier in brush yet there were and still are many groups who use 6-7 foot long bows in jungles and rain forests......I guess the answer really is unattainable.