{{Stars1Stars2|Category=Missiles}}{{Archery}}''For explanation of terms see the [[Bows]] and [[Arrows]] pages. For finds of Arrow heads also see the [[Arrows]] page.''==Bows from Archaeology==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Location / Catalogue No.!! Condition !! Terminal Shape !! Nock Type !! Wood !! Length !! Date !! Ref.
|-
| Dublin, Ireland / DWP1 || Fragment || Straight || Single || Yew || >10cm || C11th-C12th || [HALPIN Halpin 2008]
|-
| Dublin, Ireland / DWP2 || Fragment || Straight || Double || <b>Scots Pine</b> || >15cm || C11th-C12th || [HALPIN Halpin 2008]
|-
| Dublin, Ireland / DWP3 || Fragment || ? || Double || Yew || >11cm || C11th-C12th || [HALPIN Halpin 2008]
|-
| Dublin, Ireland / DWP4 || Fragment || Deflexed || Single || Yew || >13cm || C11th-C13th || [HALPIN Halpin 2008]
|-
| Dublin, Ireland / DWP5 || Fragment || Straight || Double || <b>Elm</b> || >10cm || C11th-C12th || [HALPIN Halpin 2008]
|-
| Dublin, Ireland / DWP6 || Fragment || Straight || Double || Yew || >20cm || C11th-C13th || [HALPIN Halpin 2008]
|-
| Dublin, Ireland / DWP7 || <b>Complete</b> || Straight || Double || Yew || <b>68cm</brb> || C11th-C13th || [HALPIN Halpin 2008]
|-
| Dublin, Ireland / DWP8 || Fragment || Straight || Double || Yew || >8cm || C12th || [HALPIN Halpin 2008]
|-
| Ballinderry, Ireland || <b>Complete</b> || Deflexed || || Example Yew || Example <b>190cm</b> || Example Late C10th || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Adare Castle, Ireland || <b>Complete</b> || || Single || Example Yew || Example || Example || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Waterford, Ireland / 1 || Fragment || ? || Single || Example Yew || Example || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Waterford, Ireland / 2-c || Fragment || || Double || Example Yew || Example >71cm || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Waterford, Ireland / 3-b || Fragment || || Double || Example Yew || Example >65cm || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Waterford, Ireland / 4-d || <b>Complete</b> || Deflexed || Single || Example Yew || Example <b>126cm</b> || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Waterford, Ireland / 5 || Fragment || || Double? || Example Yew || Example || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Waterford, Ireland / 6 || Fragment || || Double || Example Yew || Example || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Waterford, Ireland / 7 || Fragment || Deflexed || Single || Example Yew || Example || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Cork, Ireland || Fragment || || || || Example || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Cork, Ireland || Fragment || || || || Example || Example C11th ? || Example[Halpin 2008]
|-
| Hedeby, Denmark / 1 || <b>Complete</b> || Deflexed || Single || Example Yew || Example <b>191cm</b> || Example 850-1066AD || Example[Paulsen 1999]
|-
| Hedeby, Denmark / 2 || Fragment || ? || ? || Example Yew || Example >16cm || Example 850-1066AD || Example[Paulsen 1999]
|-
| Hedeby, Denmark / 3 || Fragment || Deflexed || ? || Example Yew || Example >47cm || Example 850-1066AD || Example[Paulsen 1999]
|-
| Hedeby, Denmark / 4 || Fragment || Straight || ? || Example Yew || Example >27cm || Example 850-1066AD || Example[Paulsen 1999]
|-
| Hedeby, Denmark / 5 || Fragment || ? || ? || Example Yew || Example >23cm || Example 850-1066AD || Example[Paulsen 1999]
|-
| Hedeby, Denmark / 6 || Fragment || ? || ? || Example Yew || Example >21cm || Example 850-1066AD || Example[Paulsen 1999]
|-
| Hedeby, Denmark / 7 || Fragment || ? || Single || Example <b>Elm</b> || Example >37cm || Example 850-1066AD || Example[Paulsen 1999]
|-
| LeidenAarlsum, Netherlands || <b>Complete</b> Fragment || Deflexed ? || Double || Example Yew || Example >126cm (~175-185cm) || Example 720-890 || Example[Lanting 1999]
|-
| OberflachtWassenaar, Germany / Gr.7 Netherlands || <b>Complete</b> Fragment || Deflexed || Single || Example Yew || Example >150cm (~180-190cm) || Example 800-950AD || Example[Lanting 1999]
|-
| OberflachtPineilh la mothe, Germany / Gr.8 France || <b>Complete</b> || Straight || Single Double || Example <b>Elm</b> || Example <b>125cm</b> || Example 979-1060AD || Example[Lansac 2008]
|-
| OberflachtBurg Elmendorf, Germany / Gr.21 || <b>Complete(Unfinished)</b> || Straight || Single || Example Yew || Example <b>162cm</b> || Example C12th || Example[Junkmanns 2013]
|-
| Oberflacht, Germany / Gr. 7 || Fragment <b>Complete</b> || || Single || Example Yew || Example <b>169cm</b> || Example C7th || Example[Hoernig 2005]
|-
| Oberflacht, Germany / Gr. 8 || Fragment <b>Complete</b> || || Single || Example Yew || Example <b>170cm</b> || Example C7th || Example[Hoernig 2005]
|-
| Oberflacht, Germany / Gr.21|| <b>Complete</b> || || Single || Yew || <b>184cm</b> || C7th || [Hoernig 2005]|-| Oberflacht, Germany / Gr. || Fragment || || || Yew || >20cm || C7th || [Hoernig 2005]|-| Oberflacht, Germany / Gr. || Fragment || || || <b>Elm</b> || >112cm || C7th || [Hoernig 2005]|-| Altdorf, Switzerland || <b>Complete </b> || || || Example Yew || Example <b>180cm</b> || Example C7th || Example[Hoernig 2005]
|}
==References==Nydem, Vimose and Kragehul, Denmark bog finds also had bows and arrows.<br>
==Arrow Shafts from Archaeology==
* Scotland
** Scar (AD 875-950) [Owen & Dalland 1999]
*** 9 Arrow fragments made from Scots Pine. Leaf heads. Surviving length of shaft 12cm.
* Ireland
** Dublin [Halpin 2008]
*** DWP11: C11th. Complete made from Scots Pine. Leaf head. Total length 60cm (including head), Shaft 54cm. Diameter 10mm.
*** DWP12: C11th-12th. Fragment made from Willow. Surviving length of shaft 22cm.
** Waterford [Halpin 2008]
*** Complete, unknown wood. Bodkin head.
*** Fragment made from Yew
** Cork [Halpin 2008]
*** 2 Arrow fragments made of Yew.
* Norway [Farbregd 1972]
** Oppland (9th-10th C)
*** 42: Fragment, 38cm. Birch. Tanged shouldered arrow head.
*** 58: Complete, 69cm Birch. Tanged leaf arrow head. Traces of resin from holding the flights. [Roesdahl & Wilson 1992:p.249 cat.88]
*** 59 & 38: Fragment, 57cm. Birch
*** 60: Fragment, 64cm. Birch
** Femund (AD 800-1000)
*** birch shaft with tanged head attached by lashing with tendon (sinew), then covered with birch bark. [Roesdahl & Wilson 1992]:p.249 cat.88
** Snohetta
*** birch shaft with tanged leaf shaped head. Traces of resin from holding the flights [Roesdahl & Wilson 1992: p.249 cat.88]
* Denmark (old)
** Hedeby
*** Harbour: 13 blunt heads were found in the harbour, and one knock end fragment. 11 were conical, two were double conical (widest point in the middle) [Westphal 2006: p. 61] These 13 heads can be added to those found in the settlement giving a total of 58 blunt heads. Sizes of the conical heads: Length 31-82mm, diameter of the head 9-35mm (21mm average), diameter of shaft 6-14mm (9mm average). Sizes of the bi-conical heads: Length 31-82mm, diameter of the head 12-23mm (18mm average), diameter of shaft 6-10mm (8mm average). The type of wood could be determined for 46 fragments. 31(67%) were ash. 7 (15%) hazel, and one each (2%) of oak, fir, pine, elder, spruce, alder and maple. [Westphal 2006: p.61]
* Germany
** Elisenhof (8th-11th C). 6 arrow shafts were identified in Elisenhof. [Szabo 1985: p.26, taf. 4]
*** 24: complete blunt of unknown wood type. Length 34.00cm, 0.6cm diameter, 1.2-1.5cm head diameter, 0.3cm deep knock. The head is oval in cross section and flat at the end.
*** 25: broken at the lower end, made of elder. Length now 48.00cm, diameter 1.1cm, deep knock 16.5cm and 9.5cm from the knock are two grooves, possibly form the attachment of feathers.
*** 26: broken at the lower end, unknown wood type. Length now 37.00cm (probably not much longer when complete), 1.0cm diameter, and 1.5cm at the feathers, 0.3cm deep knock. 1.0 adn 2.5cm from the knock are some grooves possibly to give the fingers a better grip. 8.0cm from the end there are the remains for some metal pins, possibly to fasten the feathers. Between the metal pins and the grooves are the remains of feathers.
*** 27: broken lower part of a blunt arrow, made of hazel. Length now 13.5cm, diameter of the shaft 0.7cm, diameter of the head 1.5cm. The blunt head has a round cross section and has a flat end which is blackened.
*** 28: broken lower part of a blunt arrow, made of hazel. Length now 11cm, diameter of the shaft 0.6cm, diameter of the head 1.2cm. The head is round in cross section and flat at the end.
*** 29: Broken lower part of a blunt arrow, unknown wood type. Length now 6.3cm, diameter of shaft 0.6cm, diameter of head 1.6cm
*Switzerland
** Altdorf (7th C) [HORNIG 2004]
*** 8 Arrows made from Hazel, Ash and Honeysuckle.
==Arrow Heads from Archaeology==
This is not intended to be a comprehensive list. It is intended to give an overall impression of the types of arrow heads and the areas where they have been found.
=== Tanged Arrows - leaf or shouldered ===
<gallery mode=Packed heights=50px style="Padding-left:30px; text-align:left;">
Archery - Arrow tanged (Gav).jpg
</gallery>
*England
:''Leaf shapped heads are not common in Britain'' [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
:* York, England C9th – C11th [Ottaway 1992: p.710] 14 finds; length:102-155mm;width:10-21mm
:* [[:Category:England,_Berkshire:_Sonning|Berkshire: Sonning]], C10th/C11th [Ottaway 1992: p.711] [Graham-Campbell 2001] 6 finds.
:* Buckinghamshire: Walton [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
:* Carlisle Cathedral [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
:* Norfolk: Norwich, St. Martin-at-Palace-Plain [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
*Scotland
**Scar 8 finds [Owen & Dalland 1999]
*Ireland
** Dublin [Halpin 2008]
** Lagore Crannog [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
*France
** [[France: L'Ile de Groix|L'Ile de Groix]] 8 finds [Bjorn & Shetelig 1940] [Chatellier & Pontois 1908]
<gallery mode=Packed heights=120px style="Padding-left:30px; text-align:left;">
L'lle de Groix Arrow heads.jpg
</gallery>
*Denmark
** Hedeby
** Ladby Ship [WOV 2003:cat. ] [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
** Arhus [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
** Sorup [WOV 2003:cat. ]
** Trelleborg [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
*Norway
** Oppdalsfjella [Ottaway 1992: p.711] [Farbregd 1972: p.43-46]
** Kaupang [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
** Bronho [British Museum: 1891,1021.7]
** Bolstad [British Museum: 1891,1021.14]
<gallery mode=Packed heights=120px style="Padding-left:30px; text-align:left;">
BM Arrows - Norway (1891,1021.7 & 1891,1021.14).JPG|Bronho & Bolstad
</gallery>
*Sweden
** Birka [Arbman 1940: Taf.10-11] [Wegraeus 1986:]
** Loddekopinge [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
** Lund [Ottaway 1992: p.711]
*Germany
** Menzlin [WOV 2003:cat. ]
=== Socketed Arrows - shouldered or leaf ===
<gallery mode=Packed heights=50px style="Padding-left:30px; text-align:left;">
Archery - Arrow leaf (Gav).jpg
</gallery>
* Thetford, England [Ottaway 1992:p.710] 2 leaf shapped heads
* Dublin, Ireland [Halpin 2008]
=== Bodkin heads ===
<gallery mode=Packed heights=50px style="Padding-left:30px; text-align:left;">
Archery - Arrow Bodkin (Gav).jpg
</gallery>
* Dublin, Ireland Late C10th/C11th [Halpin 2008:p.169] 54% of heads
* Trellborg, Denmark C11th [Halpin 2008:p.169] 56% of the arrows
* Staigard/Oldenburg, Germany C11th [Halpin 2008: p.169] majority of heads
== Archery depicted in Art ==
Archery is frequently depicted in Viking Age art. The images below are of just a few of them.
<gallery mode=Packed heights=120px style="Padding-left:30px; text-align:left;">
Archery - Tied on bow String (Stuttgart Psalter f.146v).jpg|Stuttgart Psalter f.146v
Archery - String keeper (Stuttgart Psalter f.21r).jpg|Stuttgart Psalter f.21r
Archery - Horse (Stuttgart Psalter f.7v).jpg|Stuttgart Psalter f.7v
Archery - Quiver (Vatican Reg.12 f.24v).jpg|Vatican Reg.12 f.24v
Archery - Quiver (Harley Psalter f.14r).jpg|Harley Psalter f.14r
Archery - Quiver (Harley Psalter f.25r).jpg|Harley Psalter f.25r
Archery - Quiver (Harley Psalter f.64r).jpg|Harley Psalter f.64r
Archery - Horse (Harley Psalter f.25r).jpg|Harley Psalter f.25r
Archery - Paired (Harley Psalter f.7r).jpg|Harley Psalter f.7r
Archery - Paired (Harley Psalter f.6r).jpg|Harley Psalter f.6r
London, British Library, MS Cotton Galba A XVIII, fol.014r.jpg|Cotton Galba A XVIII, f.14r
Leiden University Library, 1 PER F17.jpg|Leiden, 1 PER F17
London, British Library MS Cotton Claudius B IV fol.41v.jpg|Cotton Claudius B IV f.41v
Archery - Nock Deflexed (Pierpoint-Morgan Lib. M. 736 f.14).jpg|Pierpoint-Morgan Lib. M. 736 f.14
</gallery>
== Archery mentioned in Literature ==
===Capitulary of Charlemeigne===
''Mobilization alert: Aachen, mid-April 806'' [King 2007]
::Each horseman is to carry shield and spear, long-sword and short-sword, '''bow, quivers and arrows''', and your carts are to contain implements of various kinds”
===Beowulf===
''Written c.1000'' [Garnet 1912]
:* Lines 1432-1435
::“The prince of the Geats
::With, his '''arrowed bow'''deprived one of life,
::Of strife with the sea, so that stood in his vitals
::'''The hard war-arrow''' : he was in the holm”
:* Lines 1744-1746
::“Who from '''arrowed bow spitefully shoots'''.
::Then is he in his breast pierced under his helmet
::With a '''sharp arrow''' : he cannot defend him”
:*Lines 1765
::“Or grip of the sword, or '''flight of the arrow'''.”
:*Lines 2437-2439
::“Since him did Haethcyn from his horned bow,
::His own dear lord, with arrow pierce,
::Missed he the mark and his kinsman did shoot,”
:*Lines 3115
::“Him who oft awaited the iron-shower,
::When the storm of arrows, loosed from the strings,
::Leaped over the shield-wall, the shaft did its duty,
::Fitted with feathers followed the barb."
===Life of St Guthlac===
[Goodwin 1948: p.29]
::“that he might wound the hearts of men therewith, suddenly, as from a bended bow, he fixed the dart of his temptation in the soul of Christ’s soldier. When, therefore, the blessed man was wounded with the poisoned arrow of the accursed spirit,….. Thus had the devilish arrow wounded him with desperation”
::“and lo ! this same thorn, as an arrow speeds from the bow, so did it fly from the man, and go to a distance;”
===Anglo-Saxon Chronicle===
[Ingram 1912]
:*Battle of Brumby AD 938
::there lay many
::of the Northern heroes
::under a shower of arrows,
::shot over shields;
:*AD 1083
::The Frenchmen broke into the choir, and hurled their weapons toward the altar, where the monks were; and some of the knights went upon the upper floor, (103) and shot their arrows downward incessantly toward the sanctuary; so that on the crucifix that stood above the altar they stuck many arrows. And the wretched monks lay about the altar, and some crept under, and earnestly called upon God, imploring his mercy, since they could not obtain any at the hands of men. What can we say, but that they continued to shoot their arrows; whilst the others broke down the doors, and came in, and slew (104) some of the monks to death,
===Battle of Maldon===
'' AD 901 – Written?'' [Killings 1996]
:*Lines 70-71
::“nor might any harm the other unless through an arrow's flight death receive.”
:*Lines 107-110
::“On Earth was the battlecry.
::They then sent forth from their hands shafts hard as file,
::murderously sharpened spears flew.
::Bows were busily at work, shields received spears.”
:*Lines 265-272
::“Thus the hostage himself willingly helped;
::he was a Northumbrian of a brave family,
::Ecglaf's child; he was named Aescferth.
::He hesitated not at the play of battle,
::but shot forward many arrows;
::here striking a shield, there cutting down a warrior,
::at almost every moment giving out some wound,
::all the while with his weapon he would wield.”
===Song of Roland===
[Bacon 1914]
:*Verse 62
::" Give me the bow that in thy hand thou evermore dost bear.
::That no man shall reproach me that I dropped it, I deem well.
:*Verse 63
::The bow which thou hast offered give now into his hand….
::And the King gave it over, and Roland took the bow. [Bacon P.30]
:*Verse 162
::And many a feathered arrow and many a lance and spear.
::They pierced and rent his buckler, and made havoc of his gear. [p.91]
:*Verse 170
::Farther than crossbow shoots the bolt into the land of Spain [P.95]
===Poetic Edda - Rígsþula, The Lay of Rig===
[Ashliman 2010]
:*Verse 21
::There was the husband, string a-twining,
::shafting arrows and shaping bows:
:*Verse 27
::“Grew Earl forthwith in the halls and 'gan
::to swing the shield, to fit the string,
::to bend the bow, to shaft the arrow,
::to hurl the dart, to shake the spear,
::to ride the horse, to loose the hounds,
::to draw the sword, and to swim the stream.”
:*Verse 35
::“Young King rode once through thicket and wood,
::shooting arrows and slaying birds,”
===Master Wace, The Chronicle of the Norman Conquest===
[Taylor 1837]
:* HOW THE KING OF FRANCE CAME AGAIN AGAINST DUKE WILLIAM, AND WAS DEFEATED AT VARAVILLE.
::“Then began a fierce melée, and many a stroke of lance and sword. The knights struck with their lances, the archers shot from their bows, and the villains attacked with their pikes; “ [p.60]
:* HOW KING EDWARD DIED, AND HAROLD WAS CROWNED IN HIS STEAD; AND HOW DUKE WILLIAM TOOK COUNSEL AGAINST HIM.
::The duke was in his park at Rouen. He held in his hand a bow, which he had strung and bent, making it ready for the arrow; and he had given it into the hands of a page, for he was going forth [p.94]
:* HOW THE DUKE AND HIS HOST LANDED NEAR TO HASTINGS, AND MADE THEMSELVES A FORT.
::The archers came forth, and touched land the foremost; each with his bow bent, and his quiver full of arrows slung at his side. All were shaven and shorn, and all clad in short garments, ready to attack, to shoot, to wheel about and skirmish. [p.127]
:* HOW BOTH HOSTS PASSED THE NIGHT AND MADE READY FOR BATTLE; AND HOW THE DUKE EXHORTED HIS MEN.
::The duke and his men tried no further negotiation, but returned to their tents, sure of fighting on the morrow. Then men were to be seen on every side straightening lances, fitting hauberks and helmets; making ready the saddles and stirrups; filling the quivers, stringing the bows, and making all ready for the battle. [p.155]
:* WHO WAS CHOSEN TO BEAR THE DUKE'S GONFANON IN THE BATTLE.
::the men on foot were well equipped, each bearing bow and sword: on their heads were caps (‘Gueldon’ – hoods?), and to their feet were bound buskins (‘Panels’). Some had good hides which they had bound round their bodies; and many were clad in frocks (‘Gambais’), and had quivers and bows hung to their girdles….. Those on foot led the way, with serried ranks, bearing their bows. The knights rode next, supporting the archers from behind. [p.171-172]
:* HOW THE THREE NORMAN COMPANIES MOVED ON TO ATTACK THE ENGLISH
::bows and barbed arrows that are swift, and fly fleeter than the swallow." [p.181]
::men ranging themselves in line, lifting their shields, raising their lances, bending their bows, handling their arrows, ready for assault and for defence. [p.186]
:* HOW THE ARCHERS SMOTE HAROLD'S EYE; AND WHAT STRATAGEM THE NORMANS USED.
::The Norman archers with their bows shot thickly upon the English; but they covered themselves with their shields, so that the arrows could not reach their bodies, nor do any mischief, how true soever was their aim, or however well they shot. Then the Normans determined to shoot their arrows upwards into the air, so that they might fall on their enemies' heads, and strike their faces. The archers adopted this scheme, and shot up into the air towards the English; and the arrows in falling struck their heads and faces, and put out the eyes of many; and all feared to open their eyes, or leave their faces unguarded. [p.197-198]
==References==
{{Ref|Ashliman 2010|x}}
{{Ref|Bacon 1914|x}}
{{Ref|Farbregd 1972|x}}
{{Ref|Garnet 1912|x}}
{{Ref|Goodwin 1948|x}}
{{Ref|Graham-Campbell 2001|x}}
{{Ref|Halpin 2008|x}}
{{Ref|Hoernig 2005|x}}
{{Ref|Ingram 1912|x}}
{{Ref|Killings 1996|x}}
{{Ref|King 2007|x}}
{{Ref|Junkmanns 2013|x}}
{{Ref|Lansac 2008|x}}
{{Ref|Lanting 1999|x}}
{{Ref|Ottaway 1992|x}}
{{Ref|Owen & Dalland 1999|x}}
{{Ref|Paulsen 1999|x}}
{{Ref|Roesdahl & Wilson 1992|x}}
{{Ref|de Stoute 2008|x}}
{{Ref|Szabo 1985|x}}
{{Ref|Taylor 1837|x}}
{{Ref|Westphal 2006|x}}
{{Ref|WOV 2003}}
<HarvardReferences />