Archery refers to the skill or sport of shooting arrows using bows at pre-set targets. A prominent feature of archery is that it can be played both indoors and outdoors. In addition to being a fun and immersive activity, playing archery also offers numerous benefits, such as improved focus, physical agility, better hand-eye coordination, etc.
Besides being a popular offline activity, archery is also enjoyed by enthusiasts in the virtual or online form. There are numerous online archery games readily available for users of all major platforms. To play the archery game online, all an individual needs to do is download a reliable archery game on their smartphone that has an Internet connection and get started.
Although archery, both as a sport and activity, has millions of fans globally, the majority of them do not know much about it. Here are some facts about archery that every fan should know:
- It Has Been Around Since Hundreds of Centuries
Archery has been around for hundreds of centuries. The oldest evidence of archery, which was discovered in Europe, dates to approximately 10,000 BC. Similarly, the evidence of the activity discovered in Asia dates back to even earlier times.
During ancient times, the practice of shooting arrows using bows was associated with hunting and warfare. However, with the advent of modern tools like guns, archery became irrelevant.
- The Oldest Archery Artefact is Around 640 Centuries Old
The oldest evidence of the classic bow and arrow, or archery artefacts, were small-sized stone arrow points. Palaeontologists discovered them in South Africa’s Sibudu Cave, which is located in the KwaZulu-Natal Province.
Using the carbon-dating method, scientists discovered that the artefacts are approximately 640 centuries or 64,000 years old. Based on this discovery, it would be safe to say that archery is older than most other forms of sports and activities.
- The First Official Archery Event was Held in 1493
The first-ever officially recorded archery event was held in 1493. It was a papingo archery event, wherein players needed to at fake or wooden birds placed at different heights instead of targets fixed on the ground. The event was created and organized by the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers. To this date, it is still practised in Europe.
- The First Traditional Archery Tournament Commenced in 1603
Currently, numerous archery tournaments are held around the globe, including the popular archery event at the Olympics. However, back in the day, archery tournaments were not very common. Although the trend of hosting official archery events began in 1493, the first official archery tournament was held in 1603.
The Musselburgh Silver Arrow tournament was the first-ever traditional archery tournament. Besides being the oldest, it was also the longest-running tournament. Similar to Papingo Shoot, the tournament is still practised in Europe even today.
- Archery Was Added to the Olympics in 1900
As mentioned earlier, the first-ever archery tournament was held in 1603. Although many tournaments have been hosted since then, they did not do much to increase the craze for the sport among the masses. However, things changed in 1900. Archery was included as an event in the Olympics in 1900.
When this happened, the popularity of the sport soared among the masses. It led to the rise of many fans across the globe. Over the years, archery has been contested in 16 Olympiads. Till now, over 84 nations have competed in the archery events of the Olympics.
- Denise Parker Became the Youngest Archery Medalist at the Olympics
Denise Parker was only 14 years when she clinched her first-ever medal (a bronze one) at the Olympics. In 1988, Parker impressed the world with her archery skills and clinched a bronze medal at the Olympics. This became her first achievement in the field of archery. Followed by this, she became the CEO of USA Archery 21 years later, in 2009.
- Samuel Duvall is the Oldest Player to Win an Archery Medal at the Olympics
Samuel Duvall became the oldest professional archer to win a medal at the Archery event in the Olympics. He claimed a silver medal when he was 68 years old. Besides Duvall, Galen Carter Spencer became the oldest player to win a gold medal in archery at the Olympic Games at 64. Both archers clinched their medals at the 1904 Olympic Games, which was held in St. Louis.
- Archery is the National Sport of Bhutan
After the inclusion of Archery at the Olympic Games, the sport became highly popular in different parts of the world. Bhutan was one of the places. The sport was immensely loved by Bhutan’s residents. In 1971, Bhutan declared Archery its national sport.
This announcement came shortly after the country became a part of the United Nations. Even today, the game is extensively played in most villages in the country. In fact, most of them have their own archery ranges.
- The First Official Archery Book was Written and Published in 1545
Toxiphilus, the first official book related to archery that talked about longbow archery, was published in London in 1545. The author of the book was Roger Ascham, who was a renowned English scholar as well as a didactic writer. He dedicated the book to King Henry VIII. The book was entirely written in English, which made it very popular throughout the globe.
Archery’s popularity, both as an activity and sport, is rising globally after each passing day. Individuals who love indulging in archery should be familiar with the facts mentioned above to truly connect to the game on a higher level.