Author:Anonymous

Category：Weapons and defense

Year：1593

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. Because of these mechanical limitations, the crossbow required more time and a wider space to span the bolt and did not allow for rapid fire. Once the string was fully pulled and the bolt was set, the bow could remain in that. That meant that even archers who had not undergone special training could use the crossbow quite easily.

The force of this exceptional German hunting crossbow is about 350 lbs, and needless to say, it would be impossible to tension such a bow without a device to reduce the energy required to arm it. 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 bow of this weapon is made of steel indicating that it is of a later period. The upper surface of the tiller (the wooden part to which the bow is fitted) is of stag horn, which is beautifully engraved with geometric designs. Along the sides there are branch, flower and leaf incrustations in horn. It is well-shaped with a bulge in the center of the tiller which allows an excellent grip.

This highly decorated crossbow would have been used by an important person or nobleman for hunting. It is important to note that hunting weapons played a major part in the development of weapons for war. They gave both the craftsman and user the opportunity to experiment with new ideas and materials. This was and still is the case for all types of weapons from simple catapults to sophisticated firearms.

Accession Number:0009140001

Place of Orgin：Germany