Did you know that Archery is considered to be one of the oldest sports in the world? It is believed that the early Neanderthal’s use a bow and arrow but the latest official record was from 5,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. Archery was not only used for hunting but in 1900 it debut in the summer Olympics in Paris France. The sport was discontinued 1924 but came back in Munich, Germany for the 1972 Olympics and has stayed ever since. The sport continues today as both a method of hunting and a competition sport.
One of the oldest bows found in known as the Holmegaard bow. This bow was discovered during WWII in the peat bogs of Denmark. It is dated to around 7000 years BC, in the Mesolithic period based on the layers of peat it was found in. This bow was found in four different pieces and measured to be 64 inches long. It considered to be a self-bow which is a bow made of a single piece of wood and might have a built up handle. Historians believe it came from the Maglemose people who were found on the island of Sjælland in Denmark. The Maglemose were very sophisticated hunters, they used domestic dogs and had decorated dug-out canoes. Although this bow is the oldest bow to be found It is now the oldest on the have existed. No one knows exactly when the bow and arrow were created but some scientists believe that they could have been used in the Paleolithic era around 70,000 years ago.
As the sport increased in popularity it was introduce to Asia where it became a big part of its culture. A new fighting style was created from the introduction and was originally known as kyujutsu which means “The art of the bow”. Today the Japanese call it kyudo or “Way of the bow”, Modern Kyudo is practiced primarily as a method of physical, moral, and spiritual development. It was at this time that the bow and arrow began to be use as a weapon of war. Attila the Hun was known to use a bow in combat and he conquered much of Europe and Asia in the 3rd century. The ancient Egyptians used arrows as weapons in battle. Arrows were made by attaching arrowheads made of either bronze or flint to reeds.
Starting in the late 19th century the bow and arrow became more modern. A rotating cam system and a machined riser were added. This is known as a compound bow and is the most commonly use bow today. The riser is the main part of the bow that has the grip and the rest. The cams are at the end of the limbs, these allow the bow to have a let-off and a smoother draw cycle. Let-off makes it easier for the shooter to stay steady because he is not holding all of that potential energy. A smoother draw cycle makes it more comfortable to shoot and a smoother release making everything more accurate. Because of the new riser, accessories can be attached to the bow such as a sight for more accurate aiming, a stabilizer (which is a weighted rod that is screwed into the riser for better stabilization), and a rest for a consistent place for the arrow to sit. Since the invention of the compound bow, they have been divided into two categories, hunting compound bows and target bows. A hunting bow will be smaller, typically between 28 and 34 inches long so it is easier to move through the woods. They will also have a more natural color obviously for blending in. Target archers will typically have a larger bow because they are bore stable, also their stabilizers and very long. The jump from the “stick bows” to a more complicated compound bow is the biggest advancement in archery history.
The sport of archery has evolved immensely as we can see. The ancient bows were made of wood and consisted of a grip and a single string. As the centuries passed the bow was used for different things but the most common was for war. Archery became a part of Asian culture and formed a new fighting style. In the late 19th century a huge jump occurred when the compound bow was invented. This bow was very accurate compared to the long-bows and the recurves. Archery is one of the oldest sports known to man and still continues today.
Citations:
Archery, World. “A Brief History of Archery.” World Archery. N.p., 27 Mar. 2017. Web. 31 Mar. 2017.
“Archery Facts.” Math. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2017.
“Hoyt Carbon Technology.” Hoyt Archery. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2017.
DANG 7k BC WOW,
very good information, good