The bow was the most important weapon in the Mongols' arsenal. An ordinary bow, made of wood with a drawstring, was easy to construct, however, the Mongol bow was a completely different entity.
Utilising a composite structure, with wood or bamboo, horn, sinew and animal-based glue, it was far more powerful than a regular bow, but also took far longer to construct. The wooden core had a strip of horn glued to one side, with animal sinews on the opposite side, all held in place with glue. Both horn and animal sinew had greater elasticity compared to wood and could store more energy. And once the component pieces had set together, the bow would be drawn back against its natural curve, creating the familiar shape and imparting even more power…
