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A longbow is a type of Bow that is tall (roughly equal to or greater than the height of a person), is not Recurved , and has relatively narrow limbs circular or D shaped in cross section. Typically a longbow is widest at the handle. Longbows have been used for Hunting and Warfare by many cultures around the world, with the most famous example being the English during the Middle Ages (see English Longbow ). HISTORY Longbows are made entirely from wood and have been used for hundreds or thousands of years for hunting and warfare by, among others, the ancient Nubia ns, Native American tribes such as the Cherokee , South American tribes like as the Bari , Africa n tribes such as the Bassa , Neolithic Europea ns, and Medieval Europeans. As a hunting weapon longbows are simple, reliable, and capable of taking game as large as African Elephants . As a weapon of war the longbow has been instrumental to several cultures. The Nubians were famous for their prowess with their six to seven foot longbows, becoming known as “pupil smiters” because they would shoot their enemies in the eyes during armed conflicts. In ancient Japan, very distinctive Bamboo and wood composite longbows, known as Yumi , became important to mounted samurai warfare. Modern Japanese archery (called Kyudo or Kyujutsu ) still uses this style of longbow. Modern yumi can be made of fiberglass or carbon-fiber, as well as the traditional wood/bamboo laminate. Yumi are recurved bows, and have the unique characteristic of being off-center. That is, the lower arm of the bow is shorter and heavier than the upper arm. In the middle ages the English were famous for their very heavy, long-ranged English Longbow s, used to great effect against the French in the Hundred Years' War (notably the battles of Agincourt , Crecy , and Poitiers ). Though Firearm s supplanted bows in warfare, wooden or Fiberglass Composite longbows continue to be used by traditional archers and some tribal societies for recreation and hunting. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Longbows are one of the two major designs for wooden selfbows (bows made entirely from one piece of material), the other being the Flatbow . Because they can be carved from a single piece of wood, longbows can be crafted relatively easily and quickly. Amateur Bowyer s today can craft a longbow in about ten to twenty hours, while highly skilled bowyers, such as those who produced medieval English Longbow s, can craft wooden longbows in just a few hours. Longbows, because of their narrow limbs and rounded cross-section (which does not spread out stress within the wood as evenly as a flatbow’s rectangular cross section), need to be either less powerful, longer, or of stronger wood than an equivalent flatbow. In Europe the latter approach was used, with Yew being the wood of choice in Europe because of its high compressive strength, light weight, and resilience. Wooden , the back and belly are bamboo or Hardwood , and hardwood strips are laminated to the bows sides to prevent twisting. Bows made entirely from yew have a natural composite effect because the Sapwood and Heartwood in yew have different properties. Hard woods, like Elm , Oak , Ash or Maple are more suitable for flatbows. The traditional Finnish flatbow is made from Ash . Today composite longbows made of wood, plastic, and fiberglass can be purchased commercially. These bows will withstand more abuse and are more resistant to heat and humidity changes than traditional wooden longbows. REFERENCES
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