Here to some degree we will be talking primitive archery and equipment that was used by early peoples. We must in this subject talk about backed bows as well as self bows. These primitive people would have used a great number of different materials in the building of these early bows, They also would have had to depend upon local supplies that were available to them in there areas. In different parts of the world, supplies for the building of bows would have had to differ as well. In these respects ancestors would have found a variety of these materials from which they could make there bows and arrows. Most of the time, early bow and arrow makers had to rely on what they had on hand.
Remember, It wasn't like today where you could order whatever the best type of wood was for your projects, it really makes you appreciate the way things are today. Most of the modern bows you will find or see today are backed with fiberglass, this being a substance that didn't even exist. Primitive bow makers would probably have loved to have gotten there hands on some fiberglass, and also the modern glues we have today. It would have made there bow making a whole lot easier indeed.
Even though they didn't have the things we have today, they made very effective bows and arrows from what they did have available. They had to learn to use what they had, no matter what. They would use what they had, by itself, or with a combination of other materials available to them.
For the most part these bows they created, were made out of whatever wood they had available in there immediate area. There is evidence that early bows used more than one type of wood in there construction. If found necessary by the maker, early bows were backed sometimes with animal products such as sinew or rawhide, sinew was the most common. There are several variable theories as to why primitive people used backings on there bows, most of these reasons seem to point to the same thing ? It was the fast way to get a working bow to get some food for dinner?.
The use of a wood backing was uncommon practice, It would seem this is something that started just in the last decade or so. This has became increasingly popular, It helps relive stress from the bow and undue breakage. Now the work involved in backing a bow with rawhide or sinew is much more complicated than a wood backing.
So saying using wood, the process is simply one of lamination, gluing a thin layer of wood onto the back of the bow.
We learn that the bow doesn't just belong to Robin Hood or William Tell but to all of us.
If its only to read and study about the history of Archery.
It still holds a lot of information and learning potential for your mind to develop on something new.
Get the Cat Scratch Fever, See the potential and learn about Archery today.