Historical Background of Prehistoric Archery
In prehistoric archery, there is no defined date for the start of archery. It is also considered that, depending on the geographical location, the appearance of the bow varies greatly.
The oldest arrowheads were found in the Sibudu Cave in South Africa and are dated to approximately 64,000 years ago, although it is believed that initially, they were not shot with a bow, but with an atlatl, a type of launcher or propellant.
On the other hand, we also find evidence in European cave paintings in the Valltorta and Morella caves in Spain, dating back to the late Paleolithic, around 40,000 years ago.
There is no record of how or when the bow was invented, but it is understood that archery initially revolutionized hunting during prehistory.
Later on, the first civilizations began to use the bow for military purposes.
In classical civilization, Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Parthians, Greeks, Persians, among others, were already using the bow in their armies, a weapon that was especially harmful against groups or formations of close combat.
Archery was of great importance in the Asian and Islamic worlds. Genghis Khan also had large armies of mounted archers.
With the arrival of firearms, bows became obsolete in warfare and were practically no longer used in this field.
Practice of Prehistoric Archery Today
Today, there is a large number of enthusiasts of the discipline of prehistoric archery and the use of the propellant, with various events and competitions held for these disciplines.
All the materials used in these events are made from natural materials and handmade, just like many tribes today that still preserve their traditions and culture.
For example, in the Atapuerca mountain range, where the archaeological site is located, a tour is organized to practice this type of discipline, aiming to reproduce prehistory as faithfully as possible.
How to Make a Prehistoric Bow and Arrows
For the bow, we can use woods such as elm, ash, walnut, or birch. For the arrow, we can use a hazel rod, as it is a type of wood that straightens easily. The wood we use to make the bow should not have many knots and must be dry.
Since natural drying of wood can take several years, artificial drying can be used today, which involves placing the wood near heat (but not in the flames) to dehydrate it for one or two hours, depending on the thickness of the branch chosen, and then leaving it to dry for several days before working with it.
The next step is the bark removal and wood reduction. The bark can be removed with a scraper, and the reduction can be done with an axe, shaping the final form of the bow. The shaping process aims to achieve flat tips or limbs and a central or thicker handle area.
To achieve the curvature of the bow, we must attach the ends of the bow with a string made by braiding Achilles tendon fibers from a horse. Once the string is tensioned, the central or body section of the bow should be about 20 cm away from it to avoid wrist slaps when shooting.
Once this is done, we will remove irregularities and splinters with a scraper and then polish it with a flint notch.
To finish the bow, small incisions will be made at the ends with a flint flake to secure the string properly.
To make the arrow, we will need to remove the bark from the hazel branch and polish it with the same tools used for the bow. On the back part of the arrow, we will attach three half-feathers from a vulture, using animal tendon fibers. On the front part, we will attach and secure a tip made of flint. To finalize the arrow, we will make a groove on the rear end with a flint flake, allowing it to fit with the string.