Longbow

archery · medieval weapons · hunting · history

Ancient and widespread. Longbows have been around since the Stone Age in Europe and were used by many different cultures for hunting and warfare throughout history.

Made from special wood. Traditional longbows were crafted from yew wood because it was flexible and strong, though craftspeople used wych elm when yew wasn't available.

Single piece of wood. A historical longbow was a self bow, meaning it was carved from just one piece of wood rather than being built from multiple parts glued together.

Longer draw distance. The longbow's tall shape made it possible for archers to pull back the string much farther than with shorter bows, giving arrows more power and distance.

Modern materials too. Today, longbows can be made from modern materials like fiberglass or by gluing different types of wood together, though traditional wooden bows are still popular.