In this video I build a nearly identical replica of the bow found alongside Otzi the Iceman. Modern steel hand tools were used, and the measurements differ from Otzi's bow by only fractions of an inch as the process unfolds. This happens naturally while working it down to the desired draw weight, which in this case was 65-70 pounds at 26 inches.

It's important to remember that every piece of wood is different. Each stave comes from a tree with unique growing conditions, density, and other factors that make it challenging to follow the precise measurements of historical bows. Fortunately, the finished bow ended up very close to the dimensions of the artifact.

I also live about 1,500 miles from the nearest Yew tree. It's very expensive to source quality Yew staves, so I chose to substitute with Hackberry. It's a medium density hardwood that's local, readily available, and makes fantastic bows. I knew it was up to the challenge of an Otzi Replica.

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