How awesome is this?!

[Phaestos]

This is months old, but I thought I'd show you all a picture of something rather remarkable I found.

I'm a student of Ancient History and the University of Manchester, and on a trip round the museum, giving a tour to some people, I spotted this. It's 4000 years old.

That bow is about a foot long. I have difficulty doing the bow and drill with a bow as long as my arm! For the people of Egypt, where this is from, it was daily task to make fire like this. I know that is not a new fact on this forum, but I have to marvel at it regardless. It's also interesting to consider that we figure the bow and drill as a survival method, or at least something to do when out camping. For these people, it was day to life, as casual as a lighter to us.

Just thought I should share this.

Cheers

 

[little_leaf177]

Great image. I love the way you put it at the end comparing it to a lighter, skills we endure to learn was a part of every day life back then...
real eye opener thanks

 

[Arjati]

Thanks for posting that. Excellent observation on day-to-day life.

 

[Maxwellol]

Manchester Uni's museum is really cool, they had a load of flint tools and arrowheads last time I went by.

 

[Wayland]

I was looking at that the other day.

I particularly liked the shape of the bow and the fact that it was not bent under tension.

 

[Niels]

You can see from the shine in the bearing block that it's been well used too.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Thanks for that, I've recently been revisiting Graham Hancock & Robert Bauval's work.

Ancient/hidden history is fasanating stuff.

 

[Bumbler]

I made friction fire in one minute with a hand drill set after one demonstration from our masai guides when I was on Safari in Kenya. They have other types of wood in Africa. The guide said the spindle came from a special tree, which made it very easy to make the fire. I had never even attempted friction fire before that. So it's likely that a short bow like that is more than sufficient in Egypt.

 

[Stringmaker]

Well spotted and thanks for the image.

As you say, that was simply an everyday tool to them, but one that was designed and engineered to perfection. I run sessions on fire lighting and make exactly the same point that you did when talking to people; ancient technology is fascinating.

 

[ReamviThantos]

Thanks for this post. I saw this form of bow being espoused in the Bushcraft book by Richard Graves and copied it to find it very much easier to use than a standard D shaped bow. Having the almost identical set sends a frison of happiness down the spine.

 

[DaveBromley]

This is great, I was only talking to a mate about skills like this the other day. We were discussing a world without modern technology and how knowledge would endure.

Great image.

Dave

 

[Toddy]

Excellent to see Thank you for the photo

I have only ever used a short bow to make fire; I look with a kind of stunned astonishment at folks waggling around things as long as a walking stick, and longer Just looks like an awful lot of effort to the same end to me.

The set I use these days was made by PatrickM and it's made from a naturally bent branch. It's beautiful as well as being incredibly effective

If you want to have a try and you live in suburbia, have a look along the bottom of Leylandii trees; they often have sharply bend branches. Cut it, take the bark off and let it dry out for a few days, then shape and work as you choose. It can be used green though it's a bit springy and the tension needs adjusting by compressing the bowstring in your grip of the bow.

Incidentally, the set found in Tutankhamun's tomb has replaceable spindle tips.....Patrick makes his sets with seperate tools; flint tips set into wooden plugs for boring holes, for instance. Very practical as well as incredibly effective

cheers,
M

 

[Man of Tanith]

Any chance of a picture of yours mary?

 

[Stringmaker]

Excellent to see Thank you for the photo

I have only ever used a short bow to make fire; I look with a kind of stunned astonishment at folks waggling around things as long as a walking stick, and longer Just looks like an awful lot of effort to the same end to me.

The set I use these days was made by PatrickM and it's made from a naturally bent branch. It's beautiful as well as being incredibly effective

If you want to have a try and you live in suburbia, have a look along the bottom of Leylandii trees; they often have sharply bend branches. Cut it, take the bark off and let it dry out for a few days, then shape and work as you choose. It can be used green though it's a bit springy and the tension needs adjusting by compressing the bowstring in your grip of the bow.

Incidentally, the set found in Tutankhamun's tomb has replaceable spindle tips.....Patrick makes his sets with seperate tools; flint tips set into wooden plugs for boring holes, for instance. Very practical as well as incredibly effective

cheers,
M

I think there is definitely an optimum minimum length simply to get full mechanical efficiency. Mine is about 2'6" which is long enough to get maximum gearing effect from one forward thrust, but not too long such that I can't control it.

I have just made a clay chuck for my pump drill (remember my thread about researching and building one?), with the intention of using removable bits. Those Egyptians were a clever bunch.

 

[Niels]

I made friction fire in one minute with a hand drill set after one demonstration from our masai guides when I was on Safari in Kenya. They have other types of wood in Africa. The guide said the spindle came from a special tree, which made it very easy to make the fire. I had never even attempted friction fire before that. So it's likely that a short bow like that is more than sufficient in Egypt.

Do you know the name of the wood? I saw the Hadza use that kind of wood in the RM rift valley episode. They only carried a drill and could make fire with any dead wood. I'd love to know what species it is.

 

[Toddy]

I think there is definitely an optimum minimum length simply to get full mechanical efficiency. Mine is about 2'6" which is long enough to get maximum gearing effect from one forward thrust, but not too long such that I can't control it.

I have just made a clay chuck for my pump drill (remember my thread about researching and building one?), with the intention of using removable bits. Those Egyptians were a clever bunch.

I think the thickness of the spindle tip matters. Too thick and again you're just making work for yourself.
2'6"....about 75cms ? Too long for me or anyone I know here who uses the short bow. Each to their own though; at the end of the day, if you can make fire reliably, then the set up works for you.

I'll get a photo later Sam I have to photo some etuis as well.

cheers,
Mary

 

[Stringmaker]

I think the thickness of the spindle tip matters. Too thick and again you're just making work for yourself.
2'6"....about 75cms ? Too long for me or anyone I know here who uses the short bow. Each to their own though; at the end of the day, if you can make fire reliably, then the set up works for you.


cheers,
Mary

I'll have to measure it later but it is of that order for sure.

I absolutely agree about the spindle (drill?) tip; there is an optimum diameter for that too, as well as drill length.

The point I make to people when coaching/showing them is that the whole set up, from body position onwards is a great example of physics/mechanics in action. Get the fundamentals right and the whole process is relatively easy and not too physically taxing; get one or other component wrong and it is.

 

[thedawnawakens]

Part of the ancient' s EDC....superb and as all things old and wonderful, always thought provoking.