Build Your Own Holmegaard-Style Bow with Steve Daughton

Step back over 8,000 years and experience the art of prehistoric bow making in this hands-on workshop inspired by the Holmgaard Bow – a remarkable Mesolithic design discovered in the peat bogs of Denmark. Thought to date from around 6,000 BCE, the Holmgaard Bow represents one of the earliest known examples of sophisticated woodworking, with narrow limbs, a defined handle, and balanced tiller that influenced bow designs for millennia to come. Working with drawknives, rasps, files, scrapers, and shave horses, participants will shape, tiller, and finish their own functional wooden bow, learning firsthand the techniques and patience of early European bowyers. Guided by Steve Daughton, this program blends archaeology, craftsmanship, and hands-on skill for a truly immersive experience in ancient technology. Please be prepared for a very hands on experience. Bow building is physically demanding, you’ll be using your body and sharp tools throughout the class. Steve grew up in Decorah, Iowa, surrounded by the woods that shaped his respect for nature. As a hunter, craftsman, and lifelong archer, he is drawn to the honesty of working with his hands. He teaches traditional bow building using all-natural materials, blending his love for trees, history, and hand tools. For him, making and shooting a bow is a way to connect with the land, the past, and the satisfaction of creating something lasting and meaningful. Vesterheim offers a 60% discount for in-person class tuition on a space-available standby basis to any year-round resident living within 50 miles of Vesterheim. Students will be notified about the availability of an opening in the class 21 days before the starting date of the class period. Discounts do not include materials fees. If local area residents want a guaranteed place in a class, they must pay regular class tuition. The local standby option is supported by Decorah’s Depot Outlet.