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