The engineering of archery
An engaging exploration of the physics and design principles behind different bow types, revealing how ancient archery technology showcases sophisticated engineering in action.
Talk: Yes | Workshop: Yes | Course: No | Audience: Sixthform, College, Undergraduate,
The Engineering of Archery is an engaging talk that explores how one of humanity’s oldest technologies demonstrates sophisticated engineering principles in action. Across cultures and centuries, bow makers have refined their designs to balance power, efficiency, accuracy, and durability. This session introduces the science behind archery—from energy storage and transfer to structural stress and material selection—showing how traditional craftsmanship and modern engineering thinking intersect in remarkable ways.
The talk compares major bow types, including longbows, recurve bows, horsebows, and compound bows, examining how each design reflects different engineering solutions. Longbows illustrate elegant simplicity and smooth force curves, while recurve bows use limb geometry to increase stored energy and arrow speed. Compact horsebows reveal how composite materials and curvature maximise performance in a small form factor, and compound bows demonstrate modern mechanical engineering through cams, cables, and let-off systems that enhance efficiency and accuracy. By understanding these differences, participants gain insight into how form, materials, and mechanics influence performance.
Beyond archery itself, the session shows how these principles apply to broader engineering design. Concepts such as elastic energy storage, structural optimisation, dynamic stability, and mechanical advantage are presented in accessible terms, helping attendees see how lessons from bow design can inform other engineered systems. Whether you are interested in history, physics, design, or making things yourself, The Engineering of Archery offers a fascinating look at how ancient technology continues to inspire modern engineering thinking.
The talk compares major bow types, including longbows, recurve bows, horsebows, and compound bows, examining how each design reflects different engineering solutions. Longbows illustrate elegant simplicity and smooth force curves, while recurve bows use limb geometry to increase stored energy and arrow speed. Compact horsebows reveal how composite materials and curvature maximise performance in a small form factor, and compound bows demonstrate modern mechanical engineering through cams, cables, and let-off systems that enhance efficiency and accuracy. By understanding these differences, participants gain insight into how form, materials, and mechanics influence performance.
Beyond archery itself, the session shows how these principles apply to broader engineering design. Concepts such as elastic energy storage, structural optimisation, dynamic stability, and mechanical advantage are presented in accessible terms, helping attendees see how lessons from bow design can inform other engineered systems. Whether you are interested in history, physics, design, or making things yourself, The Engineering of Archery offers a fascinating look at how ancient technology continues to inspire modern engineering thinking.
