Archery Arrows

Archery has helped in shaping the human civilization.  Archers have fought many wars and have helped in shaping human civilization.   Since ages people have used bows and arrows to conquer their enemy and to tame wild animals. 

There are innumerable stories about great archers in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, India, Greece and Persia. These archers are revered even today.     

Bows and arrows are the main constituents of archery. Studies have shown that the bows were developed in either early Mesolithic age or late Paleolithic age.  Pines were used for making arrows.  

Bows and arrows are an indispensable part of archery.  It helps an archer in properly aiming at the target and shooting the arrow. If the bows are not proper then the archer will face difficulties in mounting the arrow. If the arrows are not properly mounted then the archer won’t be able to properly shoot the target.

The archery bows commonly used are: longbow, shortbow, flatbow, recurve bow, crossbow and compound bow. Longbow as the name suggests is very long; the length of the bow is equal to the height of the user and in some cases even exceeds the height of the user.

The limb of the Flatbow is wider and the cross-section is rectangular in shape. Shortbow is shorter in length; it is light weight and has a short range. It was basically used for hunting purpose. 

In crossbow the limbs are mounted in a horizontal manner and not in a vertical manner. The compound bow is designed in such as manner that the archer is at his ease while mounting the bow. 

In this activity, archery arrows play a very vital role.  Shaft, arrowheads, nock and fletching constitute an arrow.  Aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, wood and fiberglass are used for the construction of the shaft. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages.  For example arrows made up of fiberglass can break soon.

While selecting any material as shaft for archery arrows the weight of the material and their strength should be given importance.  The shaft should not be too flexible; it should be straight and easy to handle. At present arrows made of carbon alloys are popular and are being widely used by the archers.  In fact arrows used in popular sports events like Olympic are made of carbon alloys. 

The arrowhead of archery arrows needs to be made of some hard materials like metals.  The arrowheads heads plays a pivotal role in shooting the target.  Fletching provides balance to the arrows; it is generally made of plastic or bird feathers. Fletching is at the rear end of the arrow and it helps in the projectile motion of the arrow. 

In order to properly shoot an arrow the archer has to maintain a proper stance.  The posture of the body, the eye and the way the archer is holding the bow should be proper. 

Today archery has become a sporting activity; some even use it for recreational purposes. Proper knowledge of archery arrows will have those individuals who want to learn archery.

                                                                                                            - Mohammed Zahran -