Thanks for that. It also leads me to another point. Beside real-world comparisons, we have to keep an eye on Tolkien's own sources of course, and this ties in quite well with the Hundred Years War. He tells us something about Númenórean archery:Mim wrote:Tolwen adds a solid point about the ranges, especially from the Hundred Years War period. This is admittedly post-late Antiquity/early Medieval, the period(s) that match Middle-earth, however, IMHO, Tolwen is correct.
Now, this (the part about the Númenórean's wars in Middle-earth) sounds exactly like what the English did in Hundred Years War: Deadly showers of arrows by great cohorts of archers that cripple or destroy the enemy before he comes even close to melee range. The mentioning of the extraordinary material (steel) of the bows and the very long arrows is telling and far ahead of real-world medieval capabilities.J.R.R. Tolkien wrote:Axes and spears and bows they [the Númenóreans] had, and shooting with bows on foot and on horseback was a chief sport and pastime of the Númenóreans. In later days, in the wars upon Middle-earth, it was the bows of the Númenóreans that were most greatly feared. "The Men of the Sea," it was said, "send before them a great cloud, as a rain turned to serpents, or a black hail tipped with steel;" and in those days the great cohorts of the King's Archers used bows made of hollow steel, with black-feathered arrows a full ell long from point to notch.
- UT.Description of the island of Númenor
The ell is a very variable measure, but mostly around 50 to 60 cm; 19.5 to 23.5 inches. The english ell (which Tolkien is not unlikely to have referred to) is 5/4 yd. or 45 inches (114 cm). In the real world, the surviving arrows from the best evidence, the Mary Rose, measure on average about 75 cm (29.5 inch) and about 81 cm (almost 32 inch) maximum.
When we consider the greater body height of the Númenóreans, such long arrows are likely and the corresponding bows would stand out tall beside an English Lonbow indeed.
This powerful archery would give them a great advantage in battles, outranging the native bows of Middle-earth by far.
Even if we allow for a decline in lore and technology after Númenor's downfall, the tradition of powerful war archery is very likely to have been presereved by the Dúnedain not only for tradition (which they adored), but also for its highly practical value in war. Considering this, bow technology comparable to the English Longbow is not any longer too advanced, but already a big step back from previous times - as far as the Dúnedain are concerned. Other people are probably less advanced of course (apart from the Noldor).
Cheers
Tolwen
