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Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - geala - 09-13-2007
If this would be better asked in the References part, please move it.
I would be very interested in every information about Greek archery in the classical and hellenistic times. Do you know books or articles that deal with it? I have access to the normal suspects (Warry, Conolly, Ospreys etc.), but nothing special.
As composite bows of eastern provenance were seemingly used by the Greeks also informations about Scythic and similar bows would be nice (and perhaps more available).
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - geala - 09-14-2007
Hmm, no reply ...is not so much. :lol:
For the few who can read German, I found this on the Inet:
www.histofakt.de/downloads/HF_Bib_Griechen.pdf
Most books and articles in the list appear to be rather old.
No English book or article worth to recommend? :?
Greek archery - D B Campbell - 09-20-2007
Quote:No English book or article worth to recommend? :?Nothing springs to mind, Wolfgang.
Have you seen Ernst Kalinka's paper on "Griechischen Bogenschützen" in Klio 1929?
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - Ioannis - 09-20-2007
Well, Snodgrass' work deals briefly with the subject:
Snodgrass, A. M., (1964), Early Greek Armour and Weapons. Edinburgh.
Snodgrass, A. M., (1967), Arms and Armour of the Greeks. London.
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - geala - 09-20-2007
Thanks for the answers.
I have no access to Klio, unfortunately, so I cannot read Kalinkas paper. I have ordered now the book from R. Tölle-Kastenbein from 1980, hope it is still deliverable.
I have Snodgrass (1967) and he gives some interesting informations, for example about the arrowheads, but sadly without pictures. Perhaps in the German edition of Snodgrass will be a bit more, let's wait and see.
Has somebody a picture of the iron Cypriotic (according to Snodgrass, p. 117) and crude other iron arrowheads found at Olynthos?
Re. Greek archery - D B Campbell - 09-20-2007
Quote:Has somebody a picture of the iron Cypriotic (according to Snodgrass 1967, p. 117) and crude other iron arrowheads found at Olynthos?I'm afraid I don't have access to Robinson's Olynthus report (Excavations at Olynthus. Part X: Metal and Minor Miscellaneous Finds, 1941), but I have this rather muddy photocopy.
I presume these are (some of) the arrowheads that Snodgrass means.
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - geala - 09-20-2007
Puh, that's much more I expected, thank you!
Perhaps you know: some look nearly like bodkins, are they flat or really in bodkin form?
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - Giannis K. Hoplite - 09-20-2007
Most popular arrowheads used by the Greeks in classical times are the triangular one then,huh?
Strange because they don't appear to be mass made,though some of those from Olynthos do look much like.I think the catapult arrowheads with the inscription ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ were found in Olynthos,too?
Khairete
Giannis
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - geala - 09-20-2007
Yes, according to Snodgrass. And most arrowheads found were of the Scythian type with three fins (but without barbs), followed by bronze Cretan (probably the long great ones, looking like sword blades), iron Cypriotic and other, cruder iron ones. Also were found many lead sling bullets, partly with inscriptions. I'm quite surprised by the low weight of about 20 to 30 g. Because low weight is no great advantage in case of low velocity projectiles I really doubt any performance of the sling bullets against armoured targets. But that's another theme.
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - Giannis K. Hoplite - 09-20-2007
It is another theme,but 30 g of lead means very small sling shot and this means great penetrating ability.
Khaire
Giannis
Re. Greek Archery - D B Campbell - 09-20-2007
Quote:Most popular arrowheads used by the Greeks in classical times are the triangular one then,huh?These are just some of the iron arrowheads from Olynthus, Giannis.
There were at least two types of bronze arrowheads, triangular and curved.
(Another muddy photocopy -- sorry.)
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - Giannis K. Hoplite - 09-20-2007
I see.Most bronze ones I've seen are the triangular ones.The curved are those called "Cretan"?
The photos are prety fine.
Re: Ancient/Greek archery - books/sources? - geala - 09-20-2007
Indeed very good photos.
I was told that many ancient arrowheads were just hard wood. Is this also true for Greek archery? Any finds?
Re. Greek Archery - D B Campbell - 09-20-2007
Quote:I was told that many ancient arrowheads were just hard wood. Is this also true for Greek archery?Apparently there was a single bone arrowhead from Olynthus. I have never seen it.
Quote:I think the catapult arrowheads with the inscription ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ were found in Olynthos,too?Eric Marsden (the artillery scholar) wanted to interpret the PHILIPPOU arrowheads as missiles for the gastraphetes bow-catapult. But they may simply be heavy-duty arrowheads. They are about 3" / 7cm long; Robinson did not record the weight.