Traditional and Modern Archery

Archery is believed to have started 5,000 years ago. Bows were initially used for hunting animals as food, while their use as a tool for warfare came in later. In ancient times, projectiles were used to attack enemies. This war technique was replaced with the advent of the bow and arrow, which paved the way for traditional archery.

Several forms of archery have evolved from traditional archery. A large part of the armies of the Greeks, Macedonians, Persians, and Indians were slain with the bows and arrows of classical archery. With precision and speed, soldiers could launch arrows accurately even from a moving horse.

The use of archery in war continued up to Medieval times. However, the skill was not popular due to the negative attitude of people towards archers. Archery was widely viewed as a lower class skill and method of fighting. Archers also received the lowest compensation in the armies.

We can say that competitive archery is the main form of archery today. With the emergence of more advanced weapons, the use of archery in warfare was discarded. Only hobbyists are seen with bows and arrows hunting animals, and it most common in sport and competition.

Modern competitive archery requires you to shoot arrows towards targets located at varied distances. The sport is popular in the continents of Europe and North America. Both indoor and outdoor competitions may follow different rules. Time limit is an example of a rule that varies in different competitions.

Modern archery equipment has also evolved from that used in traditional archery. For instance, bows come in different types that offer users varying performance. These are the benefits that practitioners of traditional archery for warfare did not experience.