Some say hickory, and others say osage orange or red oak. But I prefer yew when bow-making. Not only because the wood is tightly grained and elastic, but because it’s a survivor. One of the oldest trees in existence. Fossils date it back to the Jurassic period, over 140 million years. It’s learned to adapt. Maybe it’s no surprise, then, that yew is considered sacred and associated with myths of immortality… and rebirth. Many churches and graveyards were built to stand in a circle of yews. It’s supposed to ward off evil. And serve as a link to ancestors and guardians of the underworld.
From – Green Arrow Vol. 6 #17
