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I have long been bemused by the apparently late appearance of the bow-and-arrow in the Americas.
I've read no book devoted to this, or on the origins of the bow-and-arrow; nor is there much in our excellent public library. (I intend to go graze in our University's open stacks, and consult an index of the serial literature, and then guff with some Old Stone Age mavins.) Surprisingly, there seems to have been little at all published on this topic, especially on its Paleolithic origins.
However, searching on-line sources, and my set of the Britannica, I've gathered these statements: (*) In Europe, it appears to have been invented c.25,000 BP, even 30,000 BP -- this is way back, in the Gravettian period (Chauvet Cave times). And the Solutreans (c.21,000--17,000 BP) certainly had it, as well as lots of other neat and beautiful stuff.
Tho' we've only the arrowheads to judge by, in most Paleolithic cases -- no wooden remains until much later, in Germany etc. But the bow-and-arrow also appears in some cave paintings or other rock art.
A notable example is in the 'Caves of the Spider', Cuevas de la Arana in Bicorp, Valencia, Spain, in the far s.e. of the country. This has pictures of hunters with bows. (And a totally charming picture of a honey-snatcher, high in a tree supported by lianas, with bees buzzing around but not stinging him. Beekeepers love this one.) This site is termed 'epipaleolithic' -- on the cusp with Mesolithic; the age cited is all over the map -- 8000 BP, 15,000 BP, 4000 BP, 6000-10,000 BP! Jeepers! I've gotta find a site report.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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Herbert Maschner, In Evolutionary Anthrology maintains that:
| There were at least four waves of bow and arrow use in northern North America. These occurred at 12000, 4500, 2400, and after about 1300 years ago. |
Well, OK, but he then leaps over all those dates with his next sentence.
| But to understand the role of the bow and arrow in the north, one must begin in the eighteenth century, when the Russians first arrived in the Aleutian Islands. |
Why?
| At that time, the Aleut were using both the atlatl and dart and the bow and arrow. This is significant for two particular and important reasons. |
What are these reasons?
| First, there are few historic cases in which both technologies were used concurrently; second, the bow and arrow in the Aleutian Islands were used almost exclusively in warfare. The atlatl was a critical technology because the bow and arrow are useless for hunting sea mammals. |
There are gaps in the logic here.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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The fact that the bow and arrow was invented in 25,000 BC (it used to be 40,000) and was still Queen of the Battlefield at Agincourt in 1415 AD rather underlines my point that Mankind didn't advance very much until Georgian England.
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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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| anncarson wrote: | I have long been bemused by the apparently late appearance of the bow-and-arrow in the Americas.
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Hi Ann.
Wiley reckons that archery is a very difficult skill that probably only becomes needed, when easier methods of hunting are not available. Why use a bow and arrow, unless you are tracking single animals? If you are following herds, wouldnt coralling, maybe over a precipice be a better way to go?
Just suggesting.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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| anncarson wrote: | | I have long been bemused by the apparently late appearance of the bow-and-arrow in the Americas. |
You ought to be more bemused by the late appearance of the horse in the Americas. But there's plenty about that here and elsewhere in the vaults should you be interested.
Oh, and by the way, welcome Mr anncarson. You are using the e e cummings look, by the look of it.
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Boreades
In: finity and beyond
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| Mick Harper wrote: | | Oh, and by the way, welcome Mr anncarson. |
Just in case:
Welcome Mrs Ann Carson
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