Springald

By Crusader1307

Developed from 11th  Century Byzantine models, the Springald was a direct ancestor to the Ancient Roman Scorpion. This device was considered a siege weapon. Various shapes and designs were known to be used. Considered “mechanical artillery”, the weapon could propel a large metal bolt. It had inward swinging arms that used skeins or silk – twisted and compressed, to fire an object from a 2 bow firing configuration. It is estimated that the Springald could fire a bolt up to 150 yards. It was considered a crew served weapon requiring as many as 4 men to operate the larger versions. Made from wood with very few metal components, no known actual Springalds survived into the Modern Age. What is known of them comes from detailed construction documents of the 13th  Century. Many reproduced examples have been constructed using “The Bow Box” design.