Okay first post here but you guys seem to know what you're talking about. I'm a re-enactor in Australia and am currently doing 13th century (namely Maciejowski Bible) stuff. I'm pretty much set for the civillian side of things - except for shoes, anyone with links to a good seller of 13th shoes would be great - and now I'm moving onto my combat gear.

I already have a sword from www.manningimperial.com and I've had it for nigh on 4 years now. As for armour I'm 80% complete my mail shirt however havn't started on my mail chausses, they're presenting a challenge. As for my gamberson I decided to make a normal tunic and discretely pad it so as to not lose authenticiy.

Anyway I'll stop blabbing and get to the point: I am a traditional archery fanatic and own a traditional longbow from when I was doing Anglo-Saxon stuff. However the 13th century has confused me a bit, namely in the Maciejowski Bible. The bows don't seem to have a set type, they are longbow in the body till the ears where they are very mongolian or hungarian. It's almost like they're a hybrid. Many here in my group believe that a "mongolian" bow from Kassai or Grozer is the way to go but I think they bend inwards too much in the handle area.

Any thoughts, comments, answers, ANYTHING on this subject would be greatly appreciated as I want one badly but don't want to make the wrong decision. (sorry for the long winded post)

Hi

Do you have a picture of any of the bows from the misspronouncy bible?

N

Leaf 34, Saul is Slain, shows short bows used on horseback, quite similar to magyar or hunnish bows, I wonder if there is not a distinction to be made between use on horseback or by footsoldiers, and also how the regional variations come into play, As this bible is basically french, maybe they still favored short bows, which are well served with a recurve technology, as opposed to the welsh or anglo-saxon's use of a long stave.
JCH

okay so the conclusion is it's a normal "Mongol" Bow (see Kassai or Grozer for the string bridge). Other than that, when you say short bow what do you mean? do you mean a long bow that's super short? or do you mean a recurve bow like a hungarian? Secondary question: anyone know of a good, cheap yet reliable place that sells either Kassai or Grozer or good imitations of?

thanks

I dont know

Mongols bows are typically Mongol for a lack of better words. With 2 recievers at each end just under the siyahs.
This is not typical of european bows, or bows from western russia or carpathian basin. Your better of with a crimean
tatar ( around 11thc onwards) or a self bow wrapped in birch bark, as one of this type was found in novgorod.

Like rifles, swords muskets, you wont find a good bow thats cheap. The 2 makers you have listed make good bows,
and you wont get much for a cheap version.

N