Cutwaters Before Rams: an experimental investigation into the origins and development of the waterline ram

Students at Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, NJ, USA) investigated the reasons for an elongated projection at the bow of Mediterranean galleys. Using a 1:20 base model adapted from the Trireme Trust's Olympias fitted with: 1) an elongated projection; and 2) a control bow similar to excavated merchant ships, tow‐tank tests were carried out at various speeds. Hydrodynamic resistance and power were calculated for each bow type. Above speeds corresponding to 6 knots, the cutwater bow significantly attenuated the model's bow waves when compared to the control bow. These results were then compared to those of the ship with a ram‐type bow from experiments conducted in 1985 at the National Technical University of Athens, which showed similar wave‐attenuating characteristics.     

略论商周青铜弓形器的形制演变

本文对商周青铜弓形器进行了分类研究,并探讨了其形制演变和空间分布。     

殷墟花东H3卜辞中"迟弓、恒弓、疾弓"考

<花东>37版有"迟彝弓、恒弓、疾弓"三种不同的弓,它们分别相当于文献中的王、弧、唐、大、夹、庾之弓.它们使用于H3卜辞主人"子"在学射礼即将结束时.本文对"迟彝弓、恒弓、疾弓"三种不同弓的考证,不仅有助于深化H3卜辞研究,而且对商代、西周、春秋时期的射箭工具的继承和发展也有一定的认识.     

Composite bows at ed-Dur (Umm al-Qaiwain, U.A.E.)

This article discusses seven bone fragments excavated during the second Belgian archaeological campaign at ed-Dur (tomb G.3831, area N). Rather than weaving implements, these objects are identified as the reinforcing bone laths of composite bows. Information on the composite bow in general—origins, structural composition and technical advantages—will be given. Additionally, the question of which types of composite bows could have been present at ed-Dur and what role these weapons could have played at the site are discussed.     

先秦社会弓矢藏礼及其文化意蕴考论

在器以藏礼的先秦社会,弓矢被广泛运用于各种礼仪活动,衍生出兵器之外的另一种社会属性,内化了辨尊卑、别贵贱、表祈祷、达礼敬、明约信、示敬奉、喻征伐、彰德行、抗天命、蕴威仪等丰富的礼仪内涵。通过文化人类学的视角可以窥见,弓矢成为了表达礼差的物化载体,具有明显的等差性;同时,因其本身的自然与文化属性,弓矢也成为了时人表达思想观念、社会情感的具象化载体。可以说,弓矢藏礼现象是反映先秦礼乐社会特性的一个重要窗口。     

Ballistic Study Tackles Kinetic Energy Values of Palaeolithic Weaponry

The appearance of new projectile propulsion modes is viewed as an important element for understanding human behaviour during the Palaeolithic. Because the organic components of hunting weapons (the bow, spear‐thrower and arrow, and spear shaft) are only rarely preserved archaeologically, some effort has been invested in experiments to explore how the projecting modes could be identified through the analysis of stone points. The kinetic energy developed by each mode of propulsion has been considered a key variable in these experiments. However, the data used in these studies generally come from a few ballistic studies, with varied results. We present the results of a systematic study conducted with a ballistic pendulum and combined with a classic ballistic analysis. We quantified and compared the kinetic energy developed by the four standard modes of propulsion known for the Palaeolithic. The kinetic energy values that we attained, especially those measured for thrusting spears, clearly differ from what has been assumed up to now, and thus challenge current models on the evolution of hunting technology.