New-Kingdom Egyptian Bowmen

The bow is one of ancient Egypt's most crucial weapons, used from Predynastic times well into the Christian and Islamic periods. The first bows were made of wood, had a single curvature and were strung with animal sinews or strings made of plant fiber. These were used to fire reed arrows fletched with three feathers and tipped with flint or bronze. During the New Kingdom the composite bow came into use, having been introduced by the Asiatic Hyksos. Often these bows were not made in Egypt itself but imported from the Middle East, like other 'modern' weapons. A difficult weapon to use successfully, it demanded strength, dexterity and years of practice.