It should be noted that the composite bow is not a new invention, even if the knowledge about how to make them appears to have been lost in many places.

In the Homeric poems, Iliad and Odyssey, composite bows are described, e.g. used by the very skilled archer Odysseus.

Moreover, even older descriptions (from the second half of the second millennium BC) of composite bows can be found in the myths preserved on the tablets from Ugarit.

I am not sure where you are getting the 166 lb figure from.

It is true that an Asiatic composite bow over a certain draw weight (depending on design) can impart greater energy on the arrow than a self-bow (long bow) of the same draw weight. The force-draw curves are different, and some of these bows have very long draws in comparison.

I gave a reference for where the 166 pounds came from. Search for 166 on that page.

I see references to George Vernadsky, but no details on which history contained this information, nor how Vernadsky derived the 166lb figure. I am not even sure if he is measuring pre-17th Century Mongolian bows, since post-17th Century, Mongolian bows were influenced by the Manchu designs.

The site the interestingengineering references, itself does not contain references. There are odd discrepancies, such as the section on stringing the bow. Past a certain draw weight, you can no longer string the bow using the one leg or sitting method. The Manchus used equipment off the horse to string their bow, and kept them in cases while strung, to protect them.