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{{Short description|Ranged weapon system, sports equipment}}
{{redirect|Bows and Arrows|the album|Bows + Arrows{{!}}''Bows + Arrows''}}
[[File:Guinea Fowl Hunter (49109425873).jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|A [[Karo language (Ethiopia)|Karo]] man holding a bow and arrow]]

The '''bow and arrow''' is a ranged weapon system consisting of an [[elasticity (physics)|elastic]] launching device (bow) and long-shafted [[projectile]]s (arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for [[hunting]] and [[aggression]] long before [[recorded history]], and the practice was common to many [[prehistoric]] cultures. They were important [[weapon of war|weapons of war]] from [[ancient history]] until the [[early modern period]], when they were rendered increasingly obsolete by the development of the more powerful and accurate [[firearm]]s. Today, bows and arrows are mostly used for [[bowhunting|hunting]] and [[Modern competitive archery|sport]]s.

[[Archery]] is the art, practice, or skill of using bows to [[shooting|shoot]] arrows.<ref name=Paterson17>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17</ref> A person who shoots arrows with a bow is called a bowman or an archer. Someone who makes bows is known as a [[bowyer]],<ref name=Paterson31>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 31</ref> someone who makes arrows is a [[fletching|fletcher]],<ref name=Paterson56>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 56</ref> and someone who manufactures metal [[arrowhead]]s is an arrowsmith.<ref name=Paterson20>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 20</ref>

==Basic design and use==
[[File:19th century knowledge archery drawing the bow.jpg|thumb|upright|Drawing a bow, from a 1908 archery manual]]

A bow consists of a semi-[[Stiffness|rigid]] but elastic [[Arc (geometry)|arc]] with a high-tensile [[bowstring]] joining the ends of the two limbs of the bow. An arrow is a [[projectile]] with a [[Arrowhead|pointed tip]] and a long shaft with stabilizer [[fin]]s ([[fletching]]) towards the back, with a narrow notch (''[[Nock (arrow)|nock]]'') at the very end to contact the bowstring.

To load an arrow for shooting (''nocking'' an arrow), the archer places an arrow across the middle of the bow with the bowstring in the arrow's nock. To shoot, the archer holds the bow at its center with one hand and pulls back ([[Bow draw|draws]]) the arrow and the bowstring with the other (typically the [[dominant hand]]). This flexes the two limbs of the bow rearwards, which perform the function of a pair of [[spring (device)#Types|cantilever spring]]s to store [[elastic energy]].

While maintaining the draw, the archer typically aims the shot [[Point shooting|intuitively]] or by sighting along the arrow. Then the archer releases (looses) the draw, allowing the limbs' stored energy to convert into [[kinetic energy]] transmitted via the bowstring to the arrow, propelling it to fly forward with high velocity.<ref name=Paterson27>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' pp. 27–28</ref>

A container or bag for additional arrows for quick reloading is called a ''[[quiver]]''.

When not in use, bows are generally kept ''unstrung'', meaning one or both ends of the bowstring are detached from the bow. This removes all residual tension on the bow and can help prevent it from losing strength or elasticity over time. Many bow designs also let it straighten out more completely, reducing the space needed to store the bow. Returning the bowstring to its ready-to-use position is called ''stringing'' the bow.

==History==
{{Main|History of archery}}
[[File:Scythians shooting with bows Kertch antique Panticapeum Ukrainia 4th century BCE.jpg|thumb|[[Scythians]] shooting with bows, [[Panticapeum]] (modern [[Kertch]]), 4th century BCE]]

The oldest known evidence of the bow and arrow comes from South African sites such as [[Sibudu Cave]], where likely arrowheads have been found, dating from approximately 72,000–60,000 years ago.<ref name="Backwell">{{Cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.jas.2007.11.006|title=Middle Stone Age bone tools from the Howiesons Poort layers, Sibudu Cave, South Africa |year=2008 |last1=Backwell |first1=Lucinda |last2=d'Errico |first2=Francesco |last3=Wadley |first3=Lyn |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science|volume=35|issue=6|pages=1566–1580|bibcode=2008JArSc..35.1566B }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wadley |first1=Lyn |year=2008 |title=The Howieson's Poort industry of Sibudu Cave |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261903034 |journal=South African Archaeological Society Goodwin Series |volume=10 |pages=122–132 |jstor=40650023}}</ref><ref name="Lombard">{{Cite journal|title=Indications of bow and stone-tipped arrow use 64,000 years ago in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |journal=Antiquity |volume=84 |issue=325 |pages=635–648 |year=2010 |doi=10.1017/S0003598X00100134 |vauthors=Lombard M, Phillips L |s2cid=162438490}}</ref><ref name="Lombard M">{{Cite journal|title=Quartz-tipped arrows older than 60 ka: further use-trace evidence from Sibudu, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |year=2011 |doi=10.1016/j.jas.2011.04.001 |vauthors=Lombard M|volume=38 |issue=8 |pages=1918–1930 |bibcode=2011JArSc..38.1918L }}</ref><ref name="Backwell2018">{{Cite journal |doi=10.15184/aqy.2018.11 |title=The antiquity of bow-and-arrow technology: Evidence from Middle Stone Age layers at Sibudu Cave |year=2018 |last1=Backwell |first1=Lucinda |last2=Bradfield |first2=Justin |last3=Carlson |first3=Kristian J. |last4=Jashashvili |first4=Tea |last5=Wadley |first5=Lyn |last6=d'Errico |first6=Francesco |journal=Antiquity |volume=92 |issue=362 |pages=289–303 |s2cid=166154740|doi-access=free |hdl=11336/81248 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Lombard2020">{{Cite journal |title=The tip cross-sectional areas of poisoned bone arrowheads from southern Africa |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports |volume=33 |year=2020 |doi=10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102477 |vauthors=Lombard M|page=102477 |bibcode=2020JArSR..33j2477L |s2cid=224889105}}</ref>

The earliest probable arrowheads found outside of Africa were discovered in 2020 in [[Fa Hien Cave]], [[Sri Lanka]]. They have been dated to 48,000 years ago. "Bow-and-arrow hunting at the Sri Lankan site likely focused on monkeys and smaller animals, such as squirrels, Langley says. Remains of these creatures were found in the same sediment as the bone points."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sciencenews.org/article/clues-earliest-known-bow-arrow-hunting-outside-africa-found |title=Clues to the earliest known bow-and-arrow hunting outside Africa have been found |date=June 12, 2020 |website=www.sciencenews.org |access-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-date=June 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617215305/https://www.sciencenews.org/article/clues-earliest-known-bow-arrow-hunting-outside-africa-found |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Bows and arrows and complex symbolic displays 48,000 years ago in the South Asian tropics. {{cite journal |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aba3831|title=Bows and arrows and complex symbolic displays 48,000 years ago in the South Asian tropics|year=2020|last1=Langley|first1=Michelle C.|last2=Amano|first2=Noel|last3=Wedage|first3=Oshan|last4=Deraniyagala|first4=Siran|last5=Pathmalal|first5=M.M|last6=Perera|first6=Nimal|last7=Boivin|first7=Nicole|last8=Petraglia|first8=Michael D.|last9=Roberts|first9=Patrick|journal=Science Advances|volume=6|issue=24|pages=eaba3831|pmid=32582854|pmc=7292635|bibcode=2020SciA....6.3831L}}</ref>

Small stone points from the [[Grotte Mandrin]] in Southern France, used some 54,000 years ago, have damage from use that indicates their use as projectile weapons, and some are too small (less than 10mm across as the base) for any practical use other than as arrowheads.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Metz |first1=Laure |last2=Lewis |first2=Jason E. |last3=Slimak |first3=Ludovic |title=Bow-and-arrow, technology of the first modern humans in Europe 54,000 years ago at Mandrin, France |journal=[[Science Advances]] |date=24 February 2023 |volume=9 |issue=8 |pages=eadd4675 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.add4675 |language=en |issn=2375-2548|doi-access=free |pmid=36812314 |pmc=9946345 |bibcode=2023SciA....9D4675M }}</ref> They are associated with possibly the first groups of [[Early European modern humans|modern humans]] to leave Africa.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=L.|last1=Slimak|first2=C.|last2=Zanolli|first3=T.|last3=Higham|display-authors=et al.|year=2022|title=Modern human incursion into Neanderthal territories 54,000 years ago at Mandrin, France|journal=Science Advances|volume=8|issue=6|pages=eabj9496 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.abj9496|pmid=35138885 |pmc=8827661 |bibcode=2022SciA....8J9496S |ref={{harvid|Slimak, Zanolli & Higham 2022}} }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Metz |first1=Laure |last2=Lewis |first2=Jason E. |last3=Slimak |first3=Ludovic |date=24 February 2023 |title=Bow-and-arrow, technology of the first modern humans in Europe 54,000 years ago at Mandrin, France |journal=Science Advances |volume=9 |issue=8 |pages=eadd4675 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.add4675 |pmc=9946345 |pmid=36812314|bibcode=2023SciA....9D4675M }}</ref>

After the [[Last Glacial Period#Deglaciation|end of the last glacial period]], some 12,000 years ago, the use of the bow seems to have spread to every inhabited region except for Australasia and most of Oceania.<ref> {{cite journal |last=George |first=N. |year=2024 |title=Is Australian Flora Unsuitable for the Bow-and-Arrow? |journal=Economic Botany |pages=1–16 |doi= |volume= |issue= |publisher= |url= }}</ref> The reason for the absence of locally-made bow and arrow technology from the Australian continent, when it was widely and commonly used elsewhere, has long been debated. It has recently been hypothesised that it is because the mechanical and physical properties of common Australian woods make them unsuitable for selfbows.<ref> {{cite journal |last=George |first=N. |year=2024 |title=Is Australian Flora Unsuitable for the Bow-and-Arrow? |journal=Economic Botany |pages=1–16 |doi= |volume= |issue= |publisher= |url= }}</ref> 

The earliest definite remains of bow and arrow from [[Europe]] are possible fragments from [[Germany]] found at Mannheim-Vogelstang dated 17,500–18,000 years ago, and at Stellmoor dated 11,000 years ago. [[Azilian]] points found in [[Grotte du Bichon]], [[Switzerland]], alongside the remains of both a [[bear]] and a hunter, with [[flint]] fragments found in the bear's third [[vertebra]], suggest the use of arrows at 13,500 years ago.<ref>"La grotte du Bichon, un site préhistorique des montagnes neuchâteloises", Archéologie neuchâteloise 42, 2009.</ref>

At the site of [[Nataruk]] in [[Turkana County]], Kenya, [[obsidian]] bladelets found embedded in a [[skull]] and within the [[thoracic cavity]] of another [[skeleton]], suggest the use of stone-tipped arrows as weapons about 10,000 years ago.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Inter-group violence among early Holocene hunter-gatherers of West Turkana, Kenya |journal=Nature |pages=394–398 |volume=529 |issue=7586 |doi=10.1038/nature16477 |first1=M. Mirazón |last1=Lahr |first2=F. |last2=Rivera |first3=R.K. |last3=Power |first4=A. |last4=Mounier |first5=B. |last5=Copsey |first6=F. |last6=Crivellaro |first7=J.E. |last7=Edung |first8=J.M. Maillo |last8=Fernandez |first9=C. |last9=Kiarie |pmid=26791728 |year=2016 |bibcode=2016Natur.529..394L |s2cid=4462435 |url=https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/253726 |access-date=2019-07-12 |archive-date=2020-02-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214144122/https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/253726 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The oldest extant bows in one piece are the elm [[Holmegaard bow]]s from [[Denmark]], which were dated to 9,000 BCE. Several bows from Holmegaard, Denmark, date 8,000 years ago.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1002/evan.21560|pmid=29446556|title=The origins and early elaboration of projectile technology|journal=Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews|volume=27|issue=1|pages=30–45|year=2018|last1=O'Driscoll|first1=Corey A|last2=Thompson|first2=Jessica C|doi-access=free}}</ref> High-performance wooden bows are currently made following the Holmegaard design. The Stellmoor bow fragments from northern Germany were dated to about 8,000 BCE, but they were destroyed in [[Hamburg]] during the [[World War II|Second World War]], before [[carbon 14 dating]] was available; their age is attributed by archaeological association.<ref>Collins ''Background to Archaeology''</ref>

[[File:Savo.vaakuna.svg|thumb|upright|Bow and arrow pictured in the [[coat of arms]] of the historical province of [[Savonia (historical province)|Savonia]]]]
The bow was an important weapon for both [[hunting]] and [[prehistoric warfare|warfare]] from prehistoric times until the widespread use of [[gunpowder]] weapons in the 16th century.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} It was also common in [[ancient warfare]], although certain cultures would not favor them.  Greek poet [[Archilocus]] expressed scorn for fighting with bows and [[Sling (weapon)|slings]].<ref name=Kend>{{cite book|last=Pritchett|first=W. Kendrick|title=The Greek State at War: Part V|date=1974|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=9780520073746}}</ref>

The skill of [[Nubia]]n archers was renowned in [[ancient Egypt]]  and beyond.<ref name=":0">Fisher, Marjorie M.; Lacovara, Peter (2012). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Lu6nZwEACAAJ Ancient Nubia: African Kingdoms on the Nile]''. Cairo · New York: American University in Cairo Press. pp. 6, 16. {{ISBN|978-977-416-478-1}}.</ref> Their mastery of the bow gained their land the name ''Ta-Seti'', "Land of the Bow" in Ancient Egyptian.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bekerie |first=Ayele |date=2004 |title=Ethiopica: Some Historical Reflections on the Origin of the Word Ethiopia |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27828841 |journal=International Journal of Ethiopian Studies |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=114 |jstor=27828841 |issn=1543-4133}}</ref>

Beginning with the reign of [[William the Conqueror]], the [[longbow]] was England's principal weapon of war until the end of the Middle Ages.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hardy |first=Robert |title=Longbow: A Social and Military History |publisher=Haynes Publishing PNC |year=2006 |isbn=9781852606206 |pages=46}}</ref> [[Genghis Khan]] and his [[Mongol horde]]s conquered much of the Eurasian steppe using short bows. Native Americans used archery to hunt and defend themselves during the days of English and later American colonization.<ref>{{Cite web |title=washingtonpost.com: History of Archery and the NAA |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/olympics/longterm/archery/archhist.htm |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref>

Organised warfare with bows ended in the early to mid-17th century in [[Western Europe]], but it persisted into the 19th century in Eastern{{clarify|date=May 2016}} cultures, including hunting and warfare in the [[New World]]. In the [[Northern Canada|Canadian Arctic]], bows were made until the end of the 20th century for hunting [[caribou]], for instance at [[Igloolik]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx?searchText=Noah+Piaguttuq+bow |title= Bow made by Noah Piagguttuq 1994}}</ref> The bow has more recently been used as a weapon of [[tribal warfare]] in some parts of [[Sub-Saharan Africa]]; an example was documented in 2009 in Kenya when [[Kisii people]] and [[Kalenjin people]] clashed, resulting in four deaths.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archery-den.com/history-of-bows/|title=History of Bows|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802082048/http://www.archery-den.com/history-of-bows/|archive-date=2017-08-02|date=2016-12-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1722198,00.html|title=Kenyan Tribes Wage a War With Bows and Arrows – Photo Essays|magazine=Time |access-date=4 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019154958/http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1722198,00.html|archive-date=19 October 2017}}</ref>

The British upper class led a revival of archery as a sport in the late 18th century.<ref name="Johnes">{{cite journal |last=Johnes |first=Martin |url=https://swansea.academia.edu/MartinJohnes/Papers/127610/Archery--Romance-and-Elite-Culture-in-England-and-Wales--c--1780-1840 |title=Archery, Romance and Elite Culture in England and Wales, c. 1780–1840 |journal=History |year=2004 |volume=89 |issue=294 |pages=193–208 |access-date=2013-03-26 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617163624/http://swansea.academia.edu/MartinJohnes/Papers/127610/Archery--Romance-and-Elite-Culture-in-England-and-Wales--c--1780-1840 |archive-date=2010-06-17 |doi=10.1111/j.1468-229X.2004.00297.x }}</ref> Sir [[Ashton Lever]], an antiquarian and collector, formed the Toxophilite Society in [[London]] in 1781, under the patronage of [[George IV of the United Kingdom|George IV]], then [[Prince of Wales]].

Bows and arrows have been used by modern [[special forces]] for survival and clandestine operations.<ref>The Handbook Of The SAS And Elite Forces. How The Professionals Fight And Win. Edited by Jon E. Lewis. p.488-Tactics And Techniques, Survival. Robinson Publishing Ltd 1997. ISBN 1-85487-675-9</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sof |first=Eric |date=2021-01-12 |title=Right tool for the job: Bow and arrow in modern warfare |url=https://special-ops.org/bow-and-arrow-in-modern-warfare/ |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=Spec Ops Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fratus |first=Matt |date=2022-07-06 |title=Behind The Photo: Why This MACV-SOG Commando Carried A 55-pound Bow Into Battle |url=https://coffeeordie.com/macv-sog-bow-arrows/ |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=[[Black Rifle Coffee Company|Coffee or Die]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hollings |first=Alex |date=2019-09-12 |title=Classic Special Forces footage shows the deadly value of a bow and arrow in combat |url=https://sofrep.com/news/classic-special-forces-footage-shows-the-deadly-value-of-a-bow-and-arrow-in-combat/ |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=SOFREP}}</ref>

==Construction==

===Parts of the bow===
[[File:Subeshi bow.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|A [[Subeshi culture]] bow, circa 800 BCE, Xinjiang Museum]]

The basic elements of a modern bow are a pair of curved [[Deformation (engineering)|elastic]] [[Recurve bow#terminology|limbs]], traditionally made from [[wood]], joined by a riser. However [[self bow]]s such as the [[English longbow]] are made of a single piece of wood comprising both limbs and the grip. The ends of each limb are connected by a string known as the [[bow string]].<ref name=Paterson27/> By pulling the string backwards the [[archery|archer]] exerts [[Compression strength|compression force]] on the string-facing section, or [[Recurve bow#terminology|belly]], of the limbs as well as placing the outer section, or [[Recurve bow#terminology|back]], under [[Tension (physics)|tension]]. While the string is held, this stores the energy later released in putting the arrow to flight. The force required to hold the string stationary at full draw is often used to express the power of a bow, and is known as its draw weight, or weight.<ref name=Paterson111>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 111</ref><ref name=Trad20>Sorrells ''Beginner's Guide'' pp. 20–21</ref> Other things being equal, a higher draw weight means a more powerful bow, which is able to project heavier arrows at the same velocity or the same arrow at a greater velocity.

The various parts of the bow can be subdivided into further sections. The topmost limb is known as the upper limb, while the bottom limb is the lower limb. At the tip of each limb is a nock, which is used to attach the bowstring to the limbs. The riser is usually divided into the grip, which is held by the archer, as well as the arrow rest and the bow window. The arrow rest is a small ledge or extension above the grip which the arrow rests upon while being aimed. The bow window is that part of the riser above the grip, which contains the arrow rest.<ref name=Paterson27/>

In bows drawn and held by hand, the maximum draw weight is determined by the strength of the archer.<ref name=Trad20/> The maximum distance the string could be displaced and thus the longest arrow that could be loosed from it, a bow's draw length, is determined by the size of the archer.<ref name=Trad19>Sorrells ''Beginner's Guide'' pp. 19–20</ref>

A [[composite bow]] uses a combination of materials to create the limbs, allowing the use of materials specialized for the different functions of a bow limb. The classic composite bow uses wood for lightness and dimensional stability in the core, horn to store compression energy, and [[sinew]] for its ability to store energy in tension. Such bows, typically Asian, would often use a stiff end on the limb end, having the effect of a recurve.<ref name=Paterson38>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 38</ref> In this type of bow, this is known by the Arabic name 'siyah'.<ref>Elmer ''Target Archery''</ref>

Modern construction materials for bows include [[Laminated bow|laminated]] wood, [[fiberglass]], [[metal]]s,<ref name=Heath15>Heath ''Archery'' pp. 15–18</ref> and [[carbon fiber]] components.

===Arrows===
{{Main|Arrow}}
[[Image:arrow.svg|thumb|Schematic of an arrow showing its parts.]]

An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.<ref name=Paterson18/> Modern arrows are usually made from carbon fibre, aluminum, fiberglass, and wood shafts. Carbon shafts have the advantage that they do not bend or warp, but they can often be too light weight to shoot from some bows and are expensive. Aluminum shafts are less expensive than carbon shafts, but they can bend and warp from use. Wood shafts are the least expensive option but often will not be identical in weight and size to each other and break more often than the other types of shafts.<ref name=Trad21>Sorrells ''Beginner's Guide'' pp. 21–22</ref> Arrow sizes vary greatly across cultures and range from very short ones that require the use of special equipment to be shot to ones in use in the [[Amazon River]] jungles that are {{convert|8.5|ft|m|abbr=in|order=flip}} long. Most modern arrows are {{convert|22|to|30|in|cm|abbr=in|order=flip|round=5}} in length.<ref name=Paterson18>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' pp. 18–19</ref>

Arrows come in many types, among which are breasted, bob-tailed, barreled, clout, and target.<ref name=Paterson18/> A breasted arrow is thickest at the area right behind the fletchings, and tapers towards the (nock) and head.<ref name=Paterson32>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 32</ref> A bob-tailed arrow is thickest right behind the head, and tapers to the nock.<ref name=Paterson25/> A barrelled arrow is thickest in the centre of the arrow.<ref name=Paterson24>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 24</ref> Target arrows are those arrows used for target shooting rather than warfare or hunting, and usually have simple arrowheads.<ref name=Paterson103>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 103</ref>

For safety reasons, a bow should never be shot without an arrow nocked; without an arrow, the energy that is normally transferred into the projectile is instead directed back into the bow itself, which will cause damage to the bow's limbs.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schuh |first=Dwight R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NckTL7jbz3YC&dq=dry+firing+bow&pg=PA87 |title=Fundamentals of Bowhunting |publisher=Stackpole Books |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-8117-3034-1 |pages=87 |language=en |access-date=2022-07-29 |archive-date=2022-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729031759/https://books.google.com/books?id=NckTL7jbz3YC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA87&dq=dry+firing+bow&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Arrowheads===
{{Main|Arrowhead}}

The end of the arrow that is designed to hit the target is called the arrowhead. Usually, these are separate items that are attached to the arrow shaft by either tangs or sockets. Materials used in the past for arrowheads include flint, bone, horn, or metal. Most modern arrowheads are made of steel, but wood and other traditional materials are still used occasionally. A number of different types of arrowheads are known, with the most common being [[Bodkin point|bodkins]], broadheads, and piles.<ref name=Paterson19>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 19</ref> Bodkin heads are simple spikes made of metal of various shapes, designed to pierce armour.<ref name=Paterson25>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' pp. 25–26</ref> A broadhead arrowhead is usually triangular or leaf-shaped and has a sharpened edge or edges. Broadheads are commonly used for hunting.<ref name=Paterson33>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 33</ref> A pile arrowhead is a simple metal cone, either sharpened to a point or somewhat blunt, that is used mainly for target shooting. A pile head is the same diameter as the arrow shaft and is usually just fitted over the tip of the arrow.<ref name=Paterson85>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 85</ref> Other heads are known, including the blunt head, which is flat at the end and is used for hunting small game or birds, and is designed to not pierce the target nor embed itself in trees or other objects and make recovery difficult.<ref name=Paterson25/> Another type of arrowhead is a barbed head, usually used in warfare or hunting.<ref name=Paterson18/>

===Bowstrings===
{{Main|Bowstring}}

Bowstrings may have a nocking point marked on them, which serves to mark where the arrow is fitted to the bowstring before shooting.<ref name=Paterson80>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 80</ref> The area around the nocking point is usually bound with thread to protect the area around the nocking point from wear by the archer's hands. This section is called the serving.<ref name=Paterson93>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' pp. 93–94</ref> At one end of the bowstring a loop is formed, which is permanent. The other end of the bowstring also has a loop, but this is not permanently formed into the bowstring but is constructed by tying a knot into the string to form a loop. Traditionally this knot is known as the archer's knot, but is a form of the [[timber hitch]]. The knot can be adjusted to lengthen or shorten the bowstring. The adjustable loop is known as the "tail".<ref name=Heath27>Heath ''Archery'' pp. 27–28</ref> The string is often twisted (this being called the "flemish twist").

Bowstrings have been constructed of many materials throughout history, including fibres such as [[flax]], [[silk]], and [[hemp]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.primitiveways.com/bowstring.html|title=Grow Your Own Bowstring|website=www.primitiveways.com|access-date=4 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723063611/http://www.primitiveways.com/bowstring.html|archive-date=23 July 2017}}</ref> Other materials used were animal [[catgut|guts]], animal [[sinews]], and [[rawhide (material)|rawhide]]. Modern fibres such as [[Dacron]] or [[Kevlar]] are now used in commercial bowstring construction, as well as steel wires in some compound bows.<ref name=Paterson28>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' pp. 28–29</ref> [[Compound bow]]s have a mechanical system of pulley cams over which the bowstring is wound.<ref name=Paterson93/> Nylon is useful only in emergency situations, as it stretches too much.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://diyready.com/diy-how-to-make-a-bow-weapons-pvc-fiberglass-bow/|title=DIY Bow Weapons Making Series DIY Projects Craft Ideas & How To's for Home Decor with Videos|date=15 May 2014|website=diyready.com|access-date=4 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050943/http://diyready.com/diy-how-to-make-a-bow-weapons-pvc-fiberglass-bow/|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

==Types of bow==
There is no single accepted system of classification of bows.<ref name=Paterson37>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 37</ref> Bows may be described by various characteristics including the materials used, the length of the draw that they permit, the shape of the bow in sideways view, and the shape of the limb in cross-section.<ref name=Heath14>Heath ''Archery'' pp. 14–16</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Andrew|last=Miller|title=Different Types of Bows|date=April 26, 2022|website=HuntingFellow|url=https://huntingfellow.com/archery-bow-types|access-date=April 26, 2022|archive-date=April 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426110121/https://huntingfellow.com/archery-bow-types|url-status=live}}</ref>

Commonly-used descriptors for bows include:

===By side profile===
{{main|Bow shape}}

* Straight bow: a bow approximately straight in side-view profile. These bows are referred to as straight, although there may be minor curves in the natural wood, and the bow may have a "set" or curvature that a wooden bow takes after use. 
* [[Recurve bow]]: a bow with the tips curving away from the archer. The curves straighten out as the bow is drawn and the return of the tip to its curved state after release of the arrow adds extra velocity to the arrow.<ref name=Paterson90>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' pp. 90–91</ref>
* [[Reflex bow]]: a bow whose entire limbs curve away from the archer when unstrung. The curves are opposite to the direction in which the bow flexes while drawn.<ref name=Paterson90/>

===By material===
* [[Self bow]]: a bow made from one piece of wood.<ref name=Paterson93/>
* [[Composite bow]]: a bow made of more than one material.<ref name=Heath14/>

===By cross-section of limb===
* [[Longbow]]: a self bow with limbs rounded in cross-section, about the same height as the archer so as to allow a full draw, usually over {{convert|5|ft|m|abbr=in|order=flip}} long. The traditional [[English longbow]] was made of [[Taxus baccata|yew]] wood,<ref>{{cite web|title=It had to be yew|publisher=Field and Roving Archery Society|first=Gavin|last=Banks|date=January 2010|url=http://www.fieldandrovingarcherysociety.co.uk/infopage.php?page_id=8|access-date=2023-03-14|archive-date=2023-03-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314194603/http://www.fieldandrovingarcherysociety.co.uk/infopage.php?page_id=8|url-status=dead}}</ref> but other woods are also used.<ref name=Paterson73>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' pp. 73–75</ref>
* [[Flatbow]]: the limbs are approximately rectangular in cross-section. This was traditional in many [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] societies and was found to be the most efficient shape for bow limbs by American engineers in the 20th century {{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

===Other characteristics===
* [[Takedown bow]]: a bow that can be disassembled for transportation, usually consisting of three parts: two limbs and a riser, in addition to the string.
* [[Compound bow]]: a bow with [[mechanical amplifier]]s to aid with drawing the bowstring. Usually, these amplifiers are asymmetric [[pulley]]s called ''cams'' (though they are not actually [[Cam (mechanism)|cam]]s) at the ends of the limbs, which provide a [[mechanical advantage]] (known as the ''let-off'') while holding the bow in full draw.<ref name=Paterson38-40>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' pp. 38–40</ref> Such bows typically have high draw weights and are usually drawn with a [[release aid]] with a [[trigger (firearms)|trigger]] mechanism for a consistently clean release.
* [[Crossbow]]: a bow mounted horizontally on a frame similar to a [[stock (firearm)|firearm stock]], which has a locking mechanism for holding the bowstring at full draw.<ref name=Paterson41>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 41</ref> Crossbows typically shoot arrow-like [[dart (missile)|dart]]s called [[crossbow bolt|bolt]]s or "quarrels", rather than normal arrows.<ref name=Paterson26>Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 26</ref>
* Footbow: a bow meant to be used with the legs and arms while lying down and used in the current distance record for the furthest arrow shot.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cooke |first1=Patrick |title=The Quest to Shoot an Arrow Farther Than Anyone Has Before |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/quest-shoot-arrow-farther-anyone-has-before-180979009/ |access-date=26 December 2021 |work=[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]] |date=December 2021 |archive-date=29 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729031801/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/quest-shoot-arrow-farther-anyone-has-before-180979009/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Sling (weapon)]]
* [[Slingshot]]
*[[Worshipful Company of Fletchers]]

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book |first=Desmond |last=Collins |title=Background to archaeology: Britain in its European setting |edition=Revised |year=1973 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=978-0-521-20155-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/backgroundtoarch1973unse }}
* {{cite book |last=Elmer |first=R. P. |title=Target Archery: With a History of the Sport in America |year=1946 |location=New York |publisher=A.A. Knopf |oclc= 1482628}}
* {{cite book |last=Heath |first=E. G. |title=Archery: The Modern Approach |publisher=Faber and Faber |location=London |year=1978 |isbn=978-0-571-04957-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Paterson |first=W. F. |title=Encyclopaedia of Archery |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |year=1984 |isbn=978-0-312-24585-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofa00pate }}
* {{cite book |last=Sorrells |first=Brian J. |title=Beginner's Guide to Traditional Archery |publisher=Stackpole Books|year=2004 |location=Mechanicsburg, PA |isbn=978-0-8117-3133-1}}
* {{cite book |last= Stone |first=George Cameron |author-link=George Cameron Stone |orig-year=1934 |edition=Reprint |year=1999 |title=A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration, and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times |location=Mineola |publisher=Dover Publications |isbn= 978-0-486-40726-5|title-link=A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration, and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times }}

==Further reading==
* ''The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 1''. 1992 The Lyons Press. {{ISBN|1-58574-085-3}}
* ''The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 2''. 1992 The Lyons Press. {{ISBN|1-58574-086-1}}
* ''The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 3''. 1994 The Lyons Press. {{ISBN|1-58574-087-X}}
* ''The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 4''. 2008 The Lyons Press. {{ISBN|978-0-9645741-6-8}}
* Gray, David, ''Bows of the World''. The Lyons Press, 2002. {{ISBN|1-58574-478-6}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Archery equipment}}
* [http://www.atarn.org The Asian Traditional Archery Research Network]
* [http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/collection/archery/ Simon Archery Collection] From The [[Manchester Museum]], The [[University of Manchester]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061121144334/http://www.bio.vu.nl/thb/users/kooi/kobe97.pdf An Approach to the Study of Ancient Archery using Mathematical Modeling]

{{Prehistoric technology}}
{{Archery| state=uncollapsed}}
{{Woodworking}}
{{Ancient mechanical artillery and hand-held missile weapons}}
{{Medieval mechanical artillery and hand-held missile weapons}}
{{Hunting topics}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bows (archery)| ]]
[[Category:Ancient weapons]]
[[Category:Medieval weapons]]
[[Category:Heraldic charges]]
[[Category:Hunting equipment]]