Bow and Arrow

A bow and arrow was a commonly used weapon in ancient times. It was a light weapon and therefore easy to carry. An added advantage was that you could hit the enemy from a distance.

Bows were used by foot soldiers, but also by soldiers in chariots. The defenders of a city also frequently fired arrows at advancing enemies. Sometimes, these were flaming arrows which could set fire to battering rams and other wooden siege weapons.

Originally, bows were triangular and formed of one piece of wood.

The Mesopotamians were the first to use a composite bow. It was made of layers of wood glued together with pieces of horn. It was 2,5-3,5 feet (about 0,7-1 m) long. The string was made of animal tendons or guts, or linen. This type of bow was more powerful and could shoot further. The same composite bow was also used in Israel and the surrounding countries from the late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BC).

The arrowhead was made of stone or metal, often bronze or iron, with three blades and sometimes a barb. The shaft of the arrows was made of wood or reed. Feathers were attached to the end, as well as a nock with which the arrow was kept in place on the string of the bow.

Archers carried their arrows in a leather quiver. The quiver was cylindrical and a little shorter than the arrows, so that they could be retrieved easily. Around 20 to 30 arrows fitted into the quiver, which was worn slung over the archer’s back, with a leather strap.