| A crossbow is an ancient weapon, composed
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| | Europeans used. And the materials used by
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| of a bow mounted on a stock that launches
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| | the Saracen composite bows were widely
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| projectiles, known as bolts. A mechanism
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| | adopted and utilized by the Europeans.
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| in the stock allows the bow to be in its
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| | Later, as steel became more widespread,
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| fully-drawn position at all times. The
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| | the Europeans started creating spring
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| crossbow is fully-drawn until it is shot
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| | steel prods. Because of the crossbow's
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| by releasing a trigger. These dangerous
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| | short draw length, they are less
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| weapons are known for their role in Asian
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| | efficient at releasing a powerful
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| and European warfare. Today however,
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| | projectile and to compensate for this,
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| crossbows are mainly used for target
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| | crossbows must have heavy draw weights.
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| shooting and sport hunting. It is likely
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| | While many crossbows are drawn using the
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| that the crossbow was first used by
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| | arm strength of an archer, crossbows that
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| tribes of South-Eastern Asia, where today
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| | release much more powerful projectiles
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| it is still used by the hunter-gatherer
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| | require some sort of mechanical device to
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| and nomad tribes, both for hunting,
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| | draw the string. These mechanisms were
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| warfare, and "toys".
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| | created out of a range of devices, some
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| Gastraphetes, the Greek version of the
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| | utilizing levers, ratchets and pulleys in
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| crossbow, was used in various Greek wars
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| | complicated ways. These mechanisms
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| and seiges, and was used extensively by
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| | allowed soldiers to use and shoot weapons
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| the army of Dionysius during the siege of
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| | with a draw force far greater than what
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| the city Motya, (a fundamental stronghold
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| | could have been handled with a normal
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| in Sicily), in 397 BC. Sun Tzu
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| | bow. Later on, the crossbow had enough
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| consistently comments on the use of the
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| | draw force to penetrate any chainmail and
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| crossbow, and less than fifty years from
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| | nearly all plate armor: some crossbows
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| the siege of Motya, in 341 BC, there are
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| | had a draw force of nearly 350 lbf,
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| records of crossbows being employed in
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| | compared to the 60-180 lbf draw force of
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| the Battle of Ma-Ling. By 200 BC, the
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| | a longbow.
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| crossbow was a popular weapon in China,
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| | The prod was often lashed to the stock
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| and have been found with soldiers of the
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| | with rope, whipcord, or other strong
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| Terracotta Army in the tomb of the
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| | cording. This cording is called the
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| Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang (260-210
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| | "bridle" of the crossbow. Similar to a
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| BC).
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| | horse's bridle, it tends to loosen over
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| In the Finnish national epic, Kalevala,
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| | time, and must be carefully re-bound.
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| Joukahainen is shown ambushing the hero
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| | The strings for a crossbow are typically
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| Väinämöinen with a crossbow. The
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| | made of strong fibers that cannot fray.
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| legendary hero of Switzerland, William
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| | According to W. F. Patternson, whipcord
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| Tell, shot an apple from the top of his
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| | was very common while linen, hemp, and
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| own son's head using a crossbow. Later
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| | sinew were also used. Sometimes, in wet
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| on, William Tell began the war of
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| | conditions, the strings were even made
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| liberation by ambushing the Vogt Gessler.
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| | out of twisted mulberry root.
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| The bow part (refered to as a prod or
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| | The mechanism that holds the drawn
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| lath) of early crossbows were made only
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| | bowstring is called a nut, and was
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| of one piece of wood, mainly crafted of
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| | usually crafted out of bone, ivory or
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| ash or yew. Later on Europeans were
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| | metal. The trigger, originally refered to
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| exposed to "Saracen composite bows" which
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| | as the "tricker", was crafted of metal.
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| were crafted from layers of various
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| | Bronze triggers with safety notches are
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| materials, like wood, horn and sinew.
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| | known to have been used as early as 200
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| These layers were then glued together and
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| | BC. There are more complicated iron
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| bound with animal tendon. The Saracen
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| | triggers designed in Europe by the 1400s.
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| composite bows were considered much more
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| | The famous Leonardo da Vinci designed
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| powerful than the wooden bows the
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| | many trigger mechanisms.
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