Holmegaard bow

Lore & Background

The Holmegaard bows are distinguished by their wide, parallel limbs and a biconvex midsection, with tips ending in a point. The handle is deep, narrow, and remains stiff when drawn. The bows bend to their tips, not only in the inner limbs as was once suggested. All Mesolithic bows from this area are made of elm, the best European bow wood apart from yew, which spread to modern Denmark only later. Early interpretations held that the bows were made 'backwards', with wood removed from the back and the belly made convex, possibly due to comparison with the English longbow. Subsequent analysis suggested the back may have been convex with the flattened surface being the belly, a design more efficient for elm, which is strong in tension. The original specimens may not have been finished for high performance, and there is doubt whether the biconvex shape of the mid-limbs is due to poor preservation in the bogs. More recent Holmegaards lack well-defined 'shoulders' and resemble the American flatbow.

Reader's Guide

The Holmegaard design, under the earlier interpretation of a bow bending only in the broad inner limbs, may shoot an arrow faster and further due to the light, long, stiff outer limbs acting as levers—the same principle that propels a dart from an Atlatl. Such 'Holmegaard style' bows are used in flight archery competitions, where an optimum between stiff tip length and draw force is desired. If the outer limbs are too long, their weight exceeds the energy stored in the inner limbs; if too thin, they become unstable. In modern Holmegaard-style bows, the outer limbs are much thicker than the inner limbs to prevent excessive bending. Because of the wide working limbs, Holmegaard bows can be made from common, lower density woods such as yew, maple, ash, and oak, as well as elm. The design's legacy lies in its influence on flight archery and its demonstration of an ancient solution to maximizing arrow speed through lever-like limb tips.

Did You Know?

• The Holmegaard bow is the oldest bow discovered anywhere in the world.
• All Mesolithic bows from the Holmegaard area are made of elm.
• The Holmegaard design may shoot arrows faster due to its stiff outer limbs acting as levers.
• Modern Holmegaard-style bows have outer limbs much thicker than the inner limbs to prevent bending.