How a Sunken Tudor Warship Rewrote the History of Medieval Archery
In short: Ray Mears examines the extraordinary collection of longbows recovered from the Mary Rose, a warship that sank in 1545. This discovery provides rare insight into the continued relevance of archery during the age of gunpowder, while practical tests explore the true armor-piercing capabilities of these heavy weapons.
The Mary Rose, a carrack-type vessel serving under King Henry VIII, was lost during a battle against the French in 1545. When the ship was raised from the English Channel in 1982, it yielded a remarkable archaeological cache, including dozens of longbows that remained perfectly preserved for centuries.
These artifacts challenge assumptions about the decline of archery as gunpowder technology emerged. To better understand their combat effectiveness, Ray Mears collaborates with Tod of Tod's Workshop and bowyer Joe Gibbs to test whether longbows with heavy draw-weights could successfully penetrate plate armor.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Ray Mears discovers 400-Year-Old perfectly preserved Warbows Salvaged From a Sunken Tudor Warships
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