What is a Cross Bow?

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