The bow is one of the earliest known weapons of war, and it was also the hunter's most handy weapon. The use of a simple wooden bow and arrow has been attested in Europe since the end of the Upper Paleolithic period (up to 10550 BC). In Greece, onions probably appeared during the Neolithic period, although they never reached the importance and distribution here that they had in Eastern societies. During the Bronze Age, two main types of bow became widespread: a simple wooden bow, sometimes reinforced with sinews to prevent breakage and increase the strength of the bow; and a composite bow that combined four materials: wood, horn, animal sinew, and glue. Even wood was sometimes taken from different trees with different flexibility.
Odysseus shoots from his famous bow. Still from the film "Odyssey's Wanderings" (1954) As Odyssey Kirk Douglas.
Simple and compound bows can be divided into several types based on their shape: simple bow bow (fig. A); double convex bow (fig.b); double concave bow (fig. c, d,); doubly concave bow (Fig. e); a triangular bow, largely characteristic of the Middle East and Egypt, as evidenced by the depictions in the frescoes (Figs f, g). Some other types of bows are identified with the population that used them. For example, the Scythian bow (fig.h), which was also used in Greece by the Scythian mercenaries and the Greeks themselves.
Types of bows according to their shape.
One of the most perfect bows of the Trojan War era of interest to us was found in the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses II, who reigned from 1348 to 1281 BC. Wood, horn and sinew were used for its manufacture, and on the outside it was varnished and gilded - a luxury, of course, worthy of the great Pharaoh!
It is believed that bows of the above two types were used in the Trojan War as well: simple and composite bows of the eastern type (in this case, most likely of the Egyptian type). There will be nothing incredible in the fact that some bows were made entirely from horns. For example, in Egypt, a bow of the First Dynasty was found in Abydos, made of two horns of an oryx antelope and articulated with a wooden handle. In the same way, it can be assumed that the legendary bow of Odysseus, which none of the ill-fated suitors could have pulled, could also have been made using parts from the horn.
The antinous tries to make the bow more malleable and holds it over the fire, the horn just becoming softer from heating. For the manufacture of such a bow, horn plates carved from the horns of a wild goat, which was found in abundance at that time both in Greece and on the islands of the Aegean Sea, could well have gone. Horns are known that, when put together, had about 120 cm, that is, quite enough to make two extremities from them.
Arrowheads from Pylos (circa 1370 BC)
Based on the large number of arrowheads found in Achaean tombs, as well as based on artistic depictions, we can conclusively state that archery was well known from the very beginning of the Mycenaean civilization and was used both in hunting and in war. Iconographic monuments also testify that the bow was used by both infantry soldiers and warriors who fought in chariots. It is interesting that, judging by the texts of Homer, the archers did not fight alone, but covered themselves with huge rectangular shields or large round shields carried by special shield-bearers. The widespread prevalence of onions in Achaean society also testifies to the presence at that time of appropriate artisans who specialized in making only bows and received a good "salary" for their labor.
Mycenaean crater with archers (circa 1300 - 1200 BC). Discovered in Tomb No. 45, Enkomi, Cyprus. (British museum)
Arrowheads found in excavations on mainland Greece as well as on the Aegean and Asia Minor are made of different materials and designs. Some of the points are made of flint or obsidian.
Heart-shaped obsidian arrowheads from Pylos (circa 1370 BC). Judging by the shape of the notch, they could be fastened in the shaft of the arrow either with tendons, or … just with resin in the cut at the end. It is possible that this shape appeared specifically so that the tip breaks off easily and remains in the wound.
It is known that such arrowheads, as well as those carved from bone, were used in war and hunting for a very long time, since metal was expensive and losing arrowheads, even if they struck the enemy, was an unacceptable luxury! It is known, for example, that English archers in the era of the Hundred Years War in the battles of Crécy and Poitiers at the first opportunity ran out from behind their hedges and fled to pull their arrows from the people and horses wounded by them, although, probably, they could have replenished their ammunition from the convoy … But no - they did just that, and the point here is not only that "the stock does not rub in the pocket", but also because there was a problem with the metal, and the stock of arrows was rather limited.
As you know, there are two main types of arrows: socketed and petiolate. The former are usually cast in stone molds, and light-flow bronze is used for their manufacture. Such arrowheads, for example, were used by the Scythians at a later time.
Scythian arrowheads of the 8th century BC. - IV century. n. NS.
In shape, they resembled either a neat sheet, or resembled a trihedron in shape, but on the side they had a sharp spike, which did not allow such a tip to be removed from the wound without significant damage to it. Petiolate - more characteristic of the Middle Ages. They were made of iron and were forged, and were fastened with a hole in the shaft of the arrow, where their petiole was inserted and wrapped around the outside with tendons. Interestingly, the Eurasian steppes became the place of appearance of socketed arrowheads. They appeared around the 2nd millennium BC. NS. in the Andronov culture. Both petiolate and socketed bronze arrowheads appeared here at the same time. But petiole tips were not widely used at that time.
Cast bronze petiole points from Santorini in Crete (1500 BC)
Only in Central Asia and Kazakhstan with the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. NS. they have become the defining form. A distinctive feature of the Eurasian tips was the elaboration of their shapes, which made them easy to classify. But the arrowheads of the Front and the entire Middle East are distinguished by amorphousness, which is explained by the different significance of this type of weapon for these regions.
Bronze arrowhead IV century. BC NS. Olyntus, Halkidika.
Another type of arrowhead that was found on the territory of Greece during the Mycenaean period was a clamping point, similar in design to the most ancient spearheads (see previous material).
Clamp-type tip attachment.
It had a V-shape without a sleeve and without a petiole and was inserted into the split of the sharpened shaft of the arrow so that its sharp edges protruded outward. After that, the cleft was wrapped in tendons, and … the arrow was ready for use, and the metal was spent on the tip itself to a minimum.
Flat V-shaped arrowheads from Knossos (1500 BC)
As already noted, bows were used not only by infantrymen, but also by charioteers. The latter practiced archery in motion, in the direction of the target (and obviously also in the wind!), Which made it possible to increase the arrow's flight range by as much as 20%. Even women and those at that time shot from a bow, as indicated by the images on the seals.
