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The earliest known archaeological evidence for the bow and arrow comes from Western Europe, where some Mousterian sites are dated to approximately 40,000 years ago. The use of the bow and arrow for hunting and for war dates back to the Paleolithic period in Africa, Asia, and Europe. It was widely used in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, the Americas, and Europe until gunpowder hit the scene.To ensure potential energy is stored evenly within the limbs during the draw, the modern recurve bow tips point to the target when unstrung, and parallel to the bowstring when strung. To ensure potential energy is stored evenly within the limbs during the draw, the modern recurve bow tips point to the target when unstrung, and parallel to the bowstring when strung. Because the recurve is being pulled opposite the way it naturally curves, there is a lot more tension on the sting and more energy available in a shorter length bow. This innovation allows for a more powerful bow than the longbow that is easier to manage, even allowing for more versatile use such as on horseback. {||-||A longbow has neither the stored energy of the recurve or the ease of accurate aiming as the compound. It is basically the most simplistic bow design. There is no rest for the arrow on the riser. Longbows are basically a stick of one of various types of wood, such as yew, maple, or teak. Longbows tend to have narrow limbs and are as tall as the user. Traditional English longbows are also known as “self bows.” This is the oldest bow design and has been used by man for thousands of years. The longbow, which was in use in Wales in the 12th cent. became prominent in the Welsh Wars of Edward I in the late 13th cent. For the rest of that century, the English emphasized skill with the longbow; it was inexpensive, mobile, and easily adapted to a peasant army. Only in England did the longbow survive the introduction of gunpowder; it was superseded gradually by firearms. It was a powerful weapon, but it took great strength to pull and years of practice to master.|} == Arrow ==[[Image:Earrow.gif]]Arrows are typically made of wood, carbon fiber, fiberglass or aluminum. At the point of the arrow is a special tip, the arrow head. The arrow head is a tip and there are different tips available depending on the purpose of the shooter, be it for target practice, hunting, or warfare. On the back end there are feathers or fletchings. On the shaft itself fletchings are glued to stabilize the arrow's flight. On the shaft itself fletchings are glued to stabilize the arrow's flight.Arrows have to be matched to the draw weight of the bow, and the draw length of the archer. In general it doesn't matter too much if the arrow is a bit too long, but if it's too short you run the risk of it falling off the arrow rest and shooting through your hand. [[Category:Archery]]