Archery History!

A true bow hunter or archer should know the rich heritage of the tools and weapons he employs. In some areas of the world, archers were often peasants or the lowest ranking soldiers. In others, times they were fierce warriors immortalized by legend. 

With the exception of Australia, the bow and arrow were used for hunting and warfare worldwide since the earliest recorded civilizations. Of primitive archery, little is known. Ancient Egypt is the first known area to learn the bow and become skilled archers. Archaeologists estimate that the Egyptians learned the skills of crafting bows and hunting around 3,000 B.C. Egyptians apparently hunted with bow and arrow during the reign of the earliest known pharaohs, and defeated the Persians in battle because whose only aerial weapons consisted of slingshots and throwing spears. Throughout ancient history, it is frequently the case that the army with the better archers and bows won the war. 

Traditional archery was not merely used for hunting or warfare. Ancient Greek mythology tells of the great Odysseus winning Penelope in an archery competition. Use of bows and arrows quickly spread among the nations of the ancient world, as each people group attempted to protect themselves from the skilled warriors of other peoples. We know that Assyrians and Babylonians relied heavily upon archers in battle. Even the Hebrew of Old Testament lore were frequently said to have great archery skills. 

Longbows were particularly deadly weapons, used by various tribes and nations. Cherokee Indians hunted bison (buffalo) and deer with the longbow in North America. Nubians hunted and fought with 6 foot longbows near Egypt. The Bassa tribe used longbows in Africa. Samurai, Vikings, and Englishmen have all taken advantage of the longbow throughout history. 

There is no archaeological evidence that ancient traditional archery was used for fishing purposes, probably because the fisherman’s nets were more effective and such a challenging sport was unnecessary to the majority struggling just to survive. 

Don’t let that keep any of you ATHA bow fishermen from strutting your stuff! All traditional hunting archery requires skill and prowess worth respecting. 


COVERS: Traditional Archery, Hunting Archery, History of Archery, Indian Archery, Archery Longbows, Archery Fishing Hunting, and Primitive Archery