Israelite Bows

mongolianarcher · Post by **mongolianarcher** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:57 pm

This question has been on my mind for a long time. Is there anyone that knows what type of bows the ancient Israelites used in the days of the Kings such as David, Saul, and Solomon, and Hezekiah. Hezekiah and his armies fought the armies of Sannacherib The Assyrian at Lachish, and the Israelites were saved by Jehovah at Jerusalem the Assyrians were destroyed miraculously. There are many pictures that show the fight of Lachish which is very stirring in my eyes, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Senna ... tJodea.jpg
Of course we know of the bows used by the assyrians that were crescent-curved/angular composites, but what of the Israelites?

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:32 pm

Lucas; You want the book THE ART OF WARFARE IN BIBLICAL LANDS by Yadin. Although published in 1963, it remains the best book on the topic, I think.

The short answer to your question is that the tribes of Israel used the same equipment as their neighbors but were much less well equipped.
Second book of Samuel," to teach the sons of Judea the bow."

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:20 pm

I have it from a former state archaeologist that no composite bow has ever been found in Israel.

mongolianarcher · Post by **mongolianarcher** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:31 pm

So what did they use then if not composite, because I thought the assyrians only used angular bows that were hornbows.

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:44 pm

Lucas; Read this;

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/20 ... %20Reality

Israelites were not originally from warrior stock. I am sure they had all kinds of contemporary bows but were not as well armed as their neighbors.

Your local library may have Yadin's books (two volumes). If not they can almost certainly borrow these for you through interlibrary loan. Apparently there is another book FROM NOMADISM TO MONARCHY which may help put things into context.

mongolianarcher · Post by **mongolianarcher** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:48 pm

But what type of bows were used in the neighboring nations other than composite bows if none were found in Israel?

mongolianarcher · Post by **mongolianarcher** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:56 am

I found a picture of Judean archers fighting off the Assyrians at Lachish, either the artist is ignorant of Judean culture, or Judeans had angular bows as the enemy.
http://www.bible-lands.info/Lachish.htm

The page includes arrowheads as well.

KenH · Post by **KenH** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:42 pm

Those bas relief panels were carved by Assyrian stonemasons, who carved what they "knew" not what was actually there necessarily. I still don't see any "angular bows". I see bend-through-the-handle bows with looped or decorated nock ends, that could be anything from self bows to complex composites.

I have a self bow of elm based on a 7000 year old design that draws nearly that deeply - 48" tip-to-tip that draws 40# at 27".

mongolianarcher · Post by **mongolianarcher** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:52 pm

But the bows are drawn past the ear, which cannot be replicated by any selfbow of that short a size.

KenH · Post by **KenH** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 3:43 am

As I say.. take those carving with a little salt, until you can begin proving various things about what is carved there.

The 'hooks' at the ends of the limbs could be a sort of retainer to keep the strings from slipping off the nocks.

If you trace out the unstrung length of the bow as shown and compare it to the height of the archer minus any headdress, how does it compare to his height. What is the average height of a healthy man from that place and time? Does the bow seem too big or too small relative to the shooter?

In other words, is the bow and draw to the ear actual truth? Conceivable? Or artistic license? To me the carvings seem stylized, not totally factual. We know that not every male grew and maintained that wavy squared-off beard for example. It's is a stylization of "age" and "maturity" - men, not boys. The beards were ceremonial. I suspect the same is true of the bows and long draw depicted there - not necessarily "wrong" but not 100% accurate, either. The truth is undoubtedly somewhere in between.

mongolianarcher · Post by **mongolianarcher** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 10:14 pm

I found an article on atarn called assyrian archery. David Betteridge made an assyrian bow that could be drawn 34 to 40 inches smoothly and be shot accurately, it was a composite as well. Selby, Is there any way to contact David?