Reflex (Latin for 'bent back') stands for the main feature of this type of bow, the curved shape of the limbs, which point away from the archer when relaxed. In addition to the term reflex bow, the Denglisch recurve bow is used synonymously.
The oldest evidence of this type of bow is rock paintings in the Spanish Levant (since the 6th millennium BC), which depict warriors or hunters with recurve bows. Later depictions of recurve bows originate from the Central German Bernburg culture, for example, in the Göhlitzsch stone cist. The recurve bow arrived in Northern and Central Europe at the latest with the Western European megalithic culture. Around 3000 BC, they can be found in megalithic graves of the Eastern European Maikop culture (e.g., in Klady) and subsequently in the context of the Kura-Araxas culture.
Around 2400 BC, Akkadian kings depicted themselves with a recurve bow as a symbol of power. Later, this was replaced by reflex bows and became a common feature of depictions of kings in the Near East. Examples can be found among the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians. Examples of a type were found in Thebes, Egypt, which were probably of Assyrian origin and date from around 1200 BC.
The reflex bow stores more energy in its limbs and is therefore more effective than a flatbow or longbow. The attached string also dampens the hand shock after the shot. While the longbow's bowstring swings freely, the reflex bow's string rests on the recurved (reflex) limb ends. When the string is extended during the release, some of the vibrations are absorbed by the bow. Thanks to the composite construction—which is standard for reflex bows—the bow can be drawn further than a longbow or flatbow, yet still has a smoother draw. However, the strong pre-tension of the limbs also requires a significantly greater load-bearing capacity of the material.
A take-down recurve (also known as a "take-down" bow) is a reflex bow consisting of a riser and two attachable limbs. The advantage of these bows, in addition to their smaller transport dimensions, is that a heavy riser made of metal or plastic helps stabilize the bow during firing. Take-down recurves with a wooden riser have advantages during transport and also allow the replacement of defective limbs.
In international archery today, the term refers to the Olympic recurve bow with a sight and stabilizers. In contemporary usage, however, the term refers to the reflex bow class without a sight or stabilizers . In traditional archery, all bows without a sight are referred to as barebows.
.png){kind=logo}