[Regia-NA] Re: [Regia] Re: Crossbows during the Viking period.

[rmhowe]

Mark Patchett wrote:
> 
> Yolli wrote:
> 
> > Now the only bit that I can't find a source for is the rising pin method of releasing the bow string - it is 'primitive and operates, but it's one of those things that sometimes seem to appear in re-enactment without an explanation.
> 
> Hi Roland,
> 
> A while back, I saw an article on the web, on a  reconstruction of a rising pin style crossbow, entitled "the Skane Lockbow"...
> 
> http://homepages.tesco.net/~tinyclanger/albini/albini_equipment_crossbows_lockbow.htm
> http://homepages.tesco.net/~tinyclanger/albini/albini_equipment_crossbows.htm
> 
> They claim this style of bow was used in northern europe between 900 and1600, "before the advent of more complicated lock mechanisms and composite prods in the 12th century. "
> 
> Here's the listed bibliography:
>   Payne-Gallwey, Ralph; The Crossbow, Dover Press, 1995
>   Wilson, G M (ed.) & Bartlett Wells, H (trans.); European crossbows: a survey, Royal Armouries, 1994,
>   Nicolle, D; Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era 1050-1350, Greenhill Books,1999
>   Paterson, W. F.; A guide to the crossbow, Society of Archer Antiquaries, 1990
> 
> I have the Payne-Gallwey book, though I don't recall having seen anything concrete on rising pin releases in that one.  I haven't checked out the other sources.  They seem to have documented their work pretty well, and so may be able to provide more details on provenance for the rising pin style.
> 
> -Edward

That has been used in Vietnam and Norway for a very long time.
In 1910 the Smithsonian had an article on it in their annual reports.
A more recent Royal Armouries Annual has them in it under
Norwegian Whaling Crossbows.

Essentially, you keep the removable from the wooden shafts, barbed
heads in an unclean, rusty state in the ground. When the whales
come up the fjord, you put a net across it behind them. Then you
go shoot some of the points into them and wait until they cause
the whale to go septic and weaken, several days, then you simply
row up and lance it. Similar to the pygmys and elephants with
poisoned arrows. There is frequently a lower hinged stock that
is clasped to the top as the pin rises.

Magnus