Why Ancient Archers...

kronckew · 3rd December 2012, 11:49 AM

carried a few arrows in their hands:

Forgotten archery

lest we forget.

makes legolas look like a slowpoke.

also applies to swords (and other 'obsolete' weapons) where we have forgotten the techniques they actually used, and only remember the formalised 'modern' stylised techniques as used in olympic fencing.

David · 3rd December 2012, 02:03 PM

Impressive!

drdavid · 3rd December 2012, 10:02 PM

Amazing skills

fearn · 3rd December 2012, 11:39 PM

Yup, and often used even today. Check out various pictures of Papuan archers.

I believe old musketeers used a similar trick, keeping a couple of bullets in their mouth during the open salvos of the battle.

F

Battara · 4th December 2012, 12:33 AM

Kronkcew - great points.

Timo Nieminen · 4th December 2012, 01:56 AM

The difference with this video is that the arrows are held in the drawing hand rather than the bow hand.

Holding in the bow hand is common enough - South America, Africa, China, Japan, Oceania, Europe, at least. I've only seen holding in the drawing hand from Japan (before this).

This particular version requires thumb draw. I want to play with it a bit and see how it works (in slow motion). My first thought is that the usual lock might not work; this might need the Japanese lock used in kyudo or the Mamluk "pillion lock" (where the middle finger is over the thumbnail, rather than the index finger). Must try!

3rd December 2012, 11:49 AM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	Why Ancient Archers... carried a few arrows in their hands: Forgotten archery lest we forget. makes legolas look like a slowpoke. also applies to swords (and other 'obsolete' weapons) where we have forgotten the techniques they actually used, and only remember the formalised 'modern' stylised techniques as used in olympic fencing.

3rd December 2012, 02:03 PM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,123	Impressive!

3rd December 2012, 10:02 PM	#3
drdavid Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 371	Amazing skills

3rd December 2012, 11:39 PM	#4
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Yup, and often used even today. Check out various pictures of Papuan archers. I believe old musketeers used a similar trick, keeping a couple of bullets in their mouth during the open salvos of the battle. F

4th December 2012, 12:33 AM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	Kronkcew - great points.

4th December 2012, 01:56 AM	#6
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	The difference with this video is that the arrows are held in the drawing hand rather than the bow hand. Holding in the bow hand is common enough - South America, Africa, China, Japan, Oceania, Europe, at least. I've only seen holding in the drawing hand from Japan (before this). This particular version requires thumb draw. I want to play with it a bit and see how it works (in slow motion). My first thought is that the usual lock might not work; this might need the Japanese lock used in kyudo or the Mamluk "pillion lock" (where the middle finger is over the thumbnail, rather than the index finger). Must try!