06-09-2016, 09:54 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-09-2016, 09:57 PM by davidjackson.)
JKP - Anton pointed out I'd increased attachments, not images. A silly feature of the forum I feel! Number of images per post have now been increased, number of attachments reduced again.
Good stuff with the pics! I note everyone is holding the stock with their left hand, as discussed previously.
African crossbows came from Arabian technology - the Arabs were constantly penetrating into the African tribes for slavery, trading, etc. I don't think the African nations had a separate crossbow technology. They quickly picked up on the technology, which is also very good for hunting.
Monks were by definition pacific and never got involved in warfare. However, there was a 12-14th century tradition of depicting armed monks in English manuscripts - they were generally representations not of "what is" but "what cannot be", part of a "world turned upside down" fantasy that can also be viewed in some manuscript margins. (Although some later examples were anti-clerical propaganda notes Michael Camille in Mirror in Parchment).
The longer stock version was used in both Europe and "oriental" armies. The long stock would allow the bow to accumulate more potential energy and make it easier to reload, it seems. Here's a pic of modern day recreationists from Italy with replica 15th century Venician crossbows, they're quite similar.
![[Image: local-people-in-medieval-costumes-during...D8H61H.jpg]](http://c8.alamy.com/comp/D8H61H/local-people-in-medieval-costumes-during-traditional-crossbow-palio-D8H61H.jpg)
Finally, here's a theoretical pic of the grand-daddy of all crossbows, designed by none other than Mr da Vinci himself. Look at the scale of that thing - what was he planning on bringing down with the quarrel, those elephant things out of Lord of the Rings?
![[Image: DaVinci_Crossbow.JPG]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/DaVinci_Crossbow.JPG)
Good stuff with the pics! I note everyone is holding the stock with their left hand, as discussed previously.
Quote:I looked all over Africa, Madagascar, India, and Australia, as well. Africa is well-known for crossbows but in Australia they favored boomerangs and India had their own version of a throwing/cutting device somewhat like a ninja star.
African crossbows came from Arabian technology - the Arabs were constantly penetrating into the African tribes for slavery, trading, etc. I don't think the African nations had a separate crossbow technology. They quickly picked up on the technology, which is also very good for hunting.
Quote:On the right, another early 14th c English marginal pic with a round stirrup. I assume this is a tonsured monk rather than a guy who got nipped by a bolt fired by someone behind him.
Monks were by definition pacific and never got involved in warfare. However, there was a 12-14th century tradition of depicting armed monks in English manuscripts - they were generally representations not of "what is" but "what cannot be", part of a "world turned upside down" fantasy that can also be viewed in some manuscript margins. (Although some later examples were anti-clerical propaganda notes Michael Camille in Mirror in Parchment).
Quote:"Oriental" crossbows (as they called anything east of Egypt in those days). Notice the unusually long shaft and trigger on the one on the left.
The longer stock version was used in both Europe and "oriental" armies. The long stock would allow the bow to accumulate more potential energy and make it easier to reload, it seems. Here's a pic of modern day recreationists from Italy with replica 15th century Venician crossbows, they're quite similar.
Finally, here's a theoretical pic of the grand-daddy of all crossbows, designed by none other than Mr da Vinci himself. Look at the scale of that thing - what was he planning on bringing down with the quarrel, those elephant things out of Lord of the Rings?