Archery Timeline
Where did the notion to shoot an arrow with a bow come from? This archery timeline will help you to understand why this sport is such an integral part of our ancestry.
While historians cannot be sure exactly when the first bow was made, they believe it to be around the Palaeolithic or Mesolithic periods. There has been some evidence to suggest that the first bow and arrow was used in Hamburg, Germany during the Palaeolithic Hamburgian culture. During this time, arrows were carved from pine wood, and they often contained a point made from flint. The archery timeline continues with the discovery of a few bows that were found in the Homegard swamp in Denmark.
During the 1940s, two bows were found within the Homegard swamp. These bows were crafted from elm wood, and they are thought to be remnants of the Bronze Age. Later on, many Classical civilizations (including the Persians, Parthians, Indians, Japanese, Koreans, and Chinese) used archers during combat to ward off the enemy. While many movies and books love to depict the ancient archer as a well paid soldier this is far from the truth.
Interesting, archers were often considered the lowest form of soldier out there. Most archers during the Middle Ages were from the peasant class, and they were often paid in the form of food. Excellent archers were rare during this time, since most soldiers wanted to fight with a sword and armor. Once the firearm was invented, archers all but disappeared. Since guns could fire at long range, archers were replaced by men with guns almost immediately. Ever since then, the archery timeline takes a bit of a turn towards a casual sport rather than a way to ward of enemies.
Today, archery is a type of sport that many participate in as a leisurely activity. While there are still plenty of archery competitions all over the world, there are no more soldiers carrying bows and arrows. Still, bows and arrows can be highly effective when they are used to hunt, which is why many have put down their guns in favor of a bow.
As you can see, the archery timeline is really quite complex. From those earlier days when archers were an important part of any battle ground to today when archers are athletes, the formation of archery is one that society should not forget.