The exact date when people began using the bow and arrow is hotly debated by academics and while it is known to have started in the late upper Palaeolithic era (late stone age), some say it was as long ago as 50,000 years while others maintain that the history of archery is only around 10,000 years old. The weapon was developed by many pre-civilized people across the world; in fact the only continent where it was not developed independently was Australia.
The Ancient History of Archery
From the earliest civilisations, the bow and arrow was being used in warfare and it is known that the Egyptians, Hittites, Persians, Greeks and Romans all used the weapons in their armies.The earliest known composite bow (a bow made from a number of materials) was used by Egyptian warriors on chariots and is believed to have been made by at least 2,800 BCE. The Greeks on the island of Crete had a particular flare for archery, which led to them making up an important part of the all-conquering Roman army during the first centuries BCE and CE.
Archery in Medieval History
The popularity of archery in European warfare seems to have waned after the fall of Rome and the onset of the early medieval period (c. 410 CE), though archers resurfaced in England by 1066 when King Harold and his opponent William are known to have used them in the Battle of Hastings. They were also popular with some Viking groups around this time but by-and-large the short bow was more likely to be used for hunting than against an enemy.The short bows of the time were only three feet long and against medieval armour, had little effectiveness. More effective versions of the weapon would soon emerge however and both the crossbow and the longbow became popular in Europe during the latter middle ages. Native American tribes were relatively late inventing the bow and arrow and while the exact date is unknown, archery did not emerge there until around 500 CE.
By beginning of the early modern period in Europe and America, the firearm had begun to replace the bow and arrow on the battle field though in the Far East, it continued to be an important part of warfare up until the nineteenth century. In some parts of the world, in particular areas of South America and Central Africa, the popularity of the weapon never waned and it is still used today for both hunting and fighting amongst the tribes.
The Modern History of Archery
In modern times, archery is more of a sport than a martial discipline though is still a popular pursuit across the world, both for hunting and as an activity in its own right. In England, archery societies began to spring up by the 17th century, the oldest of which was the Ancient Scorton Arrow, established in Yorkshire in 1673. Later, the Royal Toxophilite Society was founded around 1790 to help advance the discipline and was patronized by King George IV.
It first appeared in the modern Olympics in 1900 and then again in 1904, 1908 (pictured below) and 1920, though would not appear again until 1972 from which time the popularity of the sport has grown and grown. As a sport, world archery has been dominated by the elite archers of South Korea, who have taken thirty-nine Olympic medals up to and including the 2016 games, twenty-three of which were gold.
Throughout the twentieth century there were many advancements in the field of archery, some of the most important of which include;
Bland, R. [Internet]. 2013. History of Archery. Western Kentucky University. Available from:
- 1931 – FITA (International Archery Federation) was established
- 1937 – Bow sights were first introduced at the NAA National Tournament
- 1938 – Archery equipment began to be mass produced
- 1946 – Aluminium arrows were introduced
- 1966 – The IFAA (International Field Archery Association) was formed
- 1983 – The carbon arrow was introduced
- 1995 – The compound bow division was included in the World Archery Championship for the first time
- 2010 – New Developments in materials and technology produced lighter and stronger bows and arrows, increasing speed and accuracy
Further Reading
A brief overview - Archery has been around much longer than you think! [Internet]. 2013. Marymount University Archery Club. Available from: http://mublog.marymount.edu/MUBlog/stgermainclub/brief-overview/ [Accessed August 20, 2013].Bland, R. [Internet]. 2013. History of Archery. Western Kentucky University. Available from:
http://people.wku.edu/robert.bland752/HistoryofArchery.html [Accessed August 9, 2013].
Sonics History of Archery. [Internet]. 2013. Oregon State University. Available from: http://kidspirit.oregonstate.edu/sonics-history-archery [Accessed August 9, 2013].
The History of Archery. [Internet]. 2005. University of Southampton. Available from: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~archclub/bowhistory.php [Accessed August 8, 2013].
Sonics History of Archery. [Internet]. 2013. Oregon State University. Available from: http://kidspirit.oregonstate.edu/sonics-history-archery [Accessed August 9, 2013].
The History of Archery. [Internet]. 2005. University of Southampton. Available from: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~archclub/bowhistory.php [Accessed August 8, 2013].
