Ancient Archery

by Rob Daniels

The history of archery will not only take you through a journey of the evolution of archery, but also through the history of mankind. From the beginning of recorded history to today, archery has developed and grown, while retaining much of its original design and intent. However,the history of archery and its influence on civilization is much more diverse and longstanding. There are many occasions when archery has changed the course of history.

Evidence of ancient archery has been found throughout the world. The Egyptians were able to dispel the Persians using refined archery skill. The armies of Alexander the Great attributed much of ifs success to mobile archery, a tactic used also by Hannibal. In Japan, the practice of Kyudo and Yabusame raised archery from mere discipline to an art form and a philosophy of life.

The use of a bow and arrow for hunting and the sport of archery are hard to separate, if not impossible. The popularity of archery is reflected in the many ballads and folklore, such as Robin Hood. Robin Hood's band of merry men lived a carefree life, passing the time playing games of archery, hunting the king's deer, and robbing the rich. However, try thinking about what archery really means beyond the heroes and legends of old matter of life or death.

Nowadays, archery generally only appears in competitions and pleasure hunting, but people once hunted and fought with bow and arrow in order to survive. The development of archery followed a course of key innovations by many historical cultures. As inventions and man have evolved through the years, archery has evolved as well. Today archery is used primarily for three reasons: for relaxation, for its challenge, and for hunting purposes.

About the Author
Rob Daniels writes educational material for http://www.archery-target.com and http://www.kayak-escape.com two of his favorite lifelong sports.