Bows and arrows have a long and storied career that goes back possibly as far as 750,000 years. During that time, the bow has undergone an evolution, which we will explore in this text.
From Longbow to Recurve - A Natural Evolution
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Scott_Byers]Scott Byers
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Scott_Byers]Scott Byers
Bows and arrows have a long and storied career that goes back possibly as far as 750,000 years. During that time, the bow has undergone an evolution, which we will explore in this text.
Despite his mightiest efforts, even the strongest cavemen could only throw a spear as far as his strength would allow. As colonies of people grew, so did the demand for food. Better technologies needed to be developed.
Strings were incorporated to add force to the spear, which later became what we know as an arrow.
This equipment, however, has several limiting factors including;
1. The length of the string determines the strength behind the arrow.
2. The string also determines the length of the bow. This is because the bow needs to be long enough for the string to be properly stretched during the resting position.
This all means that if you wanted to shoot a bow very far, you would need a very, very big bow. It could even be taller than you!
This type of bow, called a longbow, has fundamental restrictions that simply don't allow it to fulfill the needs of many archers today.
Enter, the recurve bow.
Some very clever and inventive archer wanted to get rid of his monstrous longbow, while still being able to shoot long distances with great force.
He figured out that by curving the edges of the bow back, away from the archer, he would have a much better bow. The recurve of the edges allows the use of the longer strings needed for long distance shooting, without the need for a longer bow.
The result is a smaller bow which is easier to carry and manage, yes which also packs the same firing power as it's larger counterparts.
In many archery competitions, the recurve bow is the only type of bow that a participant is allowed to wield. This is even true in the Olympics, where no other bows are allowed.
Archery competitions are great, but the original purpose of the bow and arrow was to kill things. The transition to recurve bows affords hunters many benefits. Not only can you target game which is much farther away, but the extra room you have by using a smaller bow allows you to prepare for the shot much more easily. This will give you more accurate shots and a greater likelihood of hitting the target.
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History of Archery
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jay_Villaverde]Jay Villaverde
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jay_Villaverde]Jay Villaverde
The history of archery goes back thousands upon thousands of years. There have been stone arrowheads found dating from as far back as over 25,000 years go. As time went on, recent findings show feathers attached to arrows, the shafts of arrows and the bows themselves, still at least over 10,000 years old. Bows and arrows were first used solely for hunting purposes but as time went on they became a deadly and dominating force in warfare.
Archery was practiced in many different emerging civilizations. Notably, the ancient Egyptians were known to have practiced archery for both hunting and battle. The Egyptians widely practiced archery dating back over 5,000 years. The Egyptians are also believed to be the first known people to have made composite bows, although it is now believed that they came upon this technology through the nomadic tribes who used the bows on horseback.
Using bows on horseback would become a powerful military tactic. The Huns, led by Attila, famously used archers on horseback to run rampant through the Roman armies who were themselves short on archers. This is despite the fact that that Alexander the Great had previously used archers to success and famous mythological characters such as Odysseus were said to have used a bow.
Other civilizations and armies throughout the east also used archery, including the Chinese, the Japanese, the Indians and the Persians. Some of the famous Terracotta soldiers are archers. Additionally, the Native American tribes were also very proficient in archery and used bows and arrows both for hunting and battles.
While archery remained a powerful tool in eastern cultures, during the Middle Ages in Western Europe, archery was not as popular as is often described. At least not at first, in the beginning of the Middle Ages when archery as a tool for warfare was downgraded and viewed as low class or insignificant. Archers were however very cheap to train and install into a battle group, because of the relatively cheap cost of the weaponry and the lack of armor necessary for the archers at the back of the battlefield.
One of the turning points in this view was the development of the English longbow which wrecked havoc upon the French armies at the Battle of Agincourt. The crossbow, which has actually been known to have existed for at least 2,500 years, was also used in Medieval warfare as well as by the Eastern cultures, specifically and most prevalently, the Chinese. The crossbow was more forceful and was superior for shorter ranges, while the longbow provided a huge advantage in the distance you could strike with.
As archery became a powerful military weapon, the art of archery was also practiced and celebrated in Medieval culture. However, by the end of the Middle Ages the importance of archery clearly fell off. This is due of course to the development and implementation of gun powder and more advanced and powerful weaponry.
Today, archery is an Olympic sport still practiced by many people. Additionally, many people who hunt choose to use bows and arrows as a way to practice a more natural and fair hunt, as opposed to the super weaponry that is available so easily.
Archery is a skill not mastered by many. It takes precision, steadiness, and focus. Whether it's out in the woods stalking deer or on the field taking aim at a target, archery, for all it's advancements, is still primitive in nature and there's something alluring about that.
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What To Look For When Choosing A Longbow
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Scott_Byers]Scott Byers
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Scott_Byers]Scott Byers
When acquiring a longbow, you will want to know what your draw strength and weight are. You can find out this information if you are unaware, by seeking out an experienced archer to help determine them conclusively. Longbows are very large. Most tournament longbows weight around sixty pounds and models from medieval times weighed up to as much as seventy-five pounds. Unless you have an incredible amount of strength in your arm, or are extremely experienced, you'll want to begin with a longbow that weighs much less, for example one that weights anywhere from twenty to thirty pounds. They are also often custom made.
The media has played a huge part in contributing to the ignorance of people in their reasons for wanting to own a longbow. Much like in movies, people think they they will look cool simply holding or displaying a longbow without ever really knowing how to shoot it. If you purchase a longbow it should be for the right reasons. You should either be an already experienced shooter, or have some desire to become one. If you are truly serious about archery and longbows, you will want to start taking lessons to help you get on your way to becoming an expert archer and longbow operator.
Since there are many different kinds of bows one can use for the longbow, it can be difficult for the novice to decide. Before you decide on a certain bow, it is important to talk to archers who have more experience, as well as looking through catalogs that offer an assortment of them. Like with the longbow itself, it all comes down to how much you are willing to spend. The longbow as well as the arrows are only as good as they are expensive, which is an unfortunate yet necessary evil in archery. If you are willing to spend a good amount of money on arrows, you can get them specially designed for your unique sense of style and design. But remember that buying cheap arrows usually means inferior shooting to that of more pricey ones.
It is also imperative to treat your longbow with care, just as you would your own body. Mind its string, so as to prevent fraying. Always keep an extra string on hand, as well as remembering to change it annually, even if the condition of the string seems to be brand new, it still needs to be changed. When shooting in rainy weather, always remember to towel off your longbow and polish it regularly to give it that shiny new look.
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