![]() ![]() The crossbow, in contrast, did not require the same physique or training. An English archer could shoot six aimed shots a minute, and his effective range was about 200 yards, though an arrow could go twice as far in the right hands. The bow was held with outstretched arm and the arrow drawn back to the bowman’s ear. The longbow, which seems to have originated in Wales, was as tall as a man and the arrow about half that length, the famous cloth-yard shaft. In Europe it was the development of the crossbow, which had been known in ancient times but was perfected in the Middle Ages, and the English longbow, introduced to European battlefields in the 14th century, that made the arrow a formidable battlefield missile. Incredibly powerful, these were the most formidable missile weapons of mounted combat until the revolving pistol. The Huns, Seljuq Turks, Mongols, and other peoples of the Eurasian steppes were particularly effective mounted archers, wielding powerful composite recurved bows made of thin laths of wood stiffened at the rear with strips of horn and strengthened at the front with glued-on layers of cattle sinew. The armoured infantry of Greece and Rome generally disdained the bow but were nevertheless often beset by skillful enemy archers, especially those mounted on horseback. In the Old Testament, Ahab’s death is the result of an enemy arrow that “struck the king of Israel between the joints of harness.”Įxplore the power of the Ottoman Empire's army and its mighty archers See all videos for this article In the climax of Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus’s prowess with the bow is decisive in his combat with Penelope’s suitors. The bow served as a primary military weapon from ancient times through the Middle Ages in the Mediterranean world and Europe and for an even longer period in China, Japan, and on the Eurasian steppes. The origins of the bow and arrow are prehistoric bone arrow points dating to 61,000 years ago have been found at Sibudu Cave in South Africa. Arrowheads have been made of shaped flint, stone, metal, and other hard materials. ![]() The arrow, a thin wooden shaft with a feathered tail, is fitted to the string by a notch in the end of the shaft and is drawn back until sufficient tension is produced in the bow so that when released it will propel the arrow. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!īow and arrow, a weapon consisting of a stave made of wood or other elastic material, bent and held in tension by a string.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century. ![]() 100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |