Author:Anonymous

Category：Weapons and defense

Year：ca. 1570

Introduction：The amount of force required to draw a crossbow makes it impossible to be done by hand alone, so in early versions the archer had to use a stirrup to span the bolt, thereby utilizing his back and leg strength; later versions used mechanical solutions to draw the bowstring, such as cranequins or levers. The cranequin, a portable mechanical device for pulling back the bowstring on a powerful crossbow first appeared in the second half of the 14th century. The cranequin (crossbow winder) is ornamented with etched decoration of scrollwork and typical hunting scenes with dogs, deer and birds.

Accession Number:0011112

Place of Orgin：Germany