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In the end he built more than a dozen bows. He found that the
best material for the core of the bow was maple. He used deer
sinews for the backing, horn of Hungarian gray cattle for the
belly, and deer antler for the bone plates. Most of his results
supported the reconstruction of Sebestyen. The only difference
between their reconstructions was the form of the unstrung
bow. Fabian built much less reflexed bows, thereby reducing the
risk of limb twist, but also reducing the efficiency of the bow.
For a long time it couldn't be decided which form was correct.
Now, some more recent discoveries show that Sebestyen's
drawings are closer to reality. In Moshchevaya Balka (Northern
Caucasus) two almost intact bows (along with other well
preserved objects) were found in a cemetery that is dated to
the first half of the 8th century. At that time, Hungarian tribes
occupied a nearby area and were part of the Khazar empire
which included the Northern Caucasus. Bone plates of these
two bows and other equipment found in the cemetery are very
closely related to those found in Hungarian cemeteries. The
conclusion that Magyar bows were similar in form is quite
obvious.