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500 (est.) year old bow found in an Alaskan Lake

woodsdog2

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Jun 28, 2019
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What I think is neat about this is if you want to get into making your own bows, this is a for sure ancient but effective design for one. That thing must have been a pup to draw. Look at how thick it is. The craziest thing is the curators believe it was made out of spruce???? Who would have thunk it??
 

overspined

Active Member
Dec 12, 2021
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That looks pretty standard for a self bow. Looks like the thickness of a hickory bow pretty normal. Spruce would be a surprising material. But if it’s a guess, I’d guess another wood would’ve been in the trade network. I’ve killed far more pope and young with longbows than modern bows ;) so it’s generally the hunter not the equipment
 

JSEXTON23

Well-Known Member
Sep 7, 2017
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Ohio
That looks pretty standard for a self bow. Looks like the thickness of a hickory bow pretty normal. Spruce would be a surprising material. But if it’s a guess, I’d guess another wood would’ve been in the trade network. I’ve killed far more pope and young with longbows than modern bows ;) so it’s generally the hunter not the equipment
Alaskan lake area, so maybe cedar or yew? Yew would be my money bet.
 
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woodsdog2

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Jun 28, 2019
8,158
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Sadly, they will never probably string that bow because now it is considered an historic "artifact."