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Archery is the practice of using a bow to shoot arrows. Archery has historically been used in hunting and combat, and has become a precision sport. One term for an archer is a toxophilite, which derives from Ancient Greek.

History

Beginnings

The earliest concrete evidence of archery dates back 50,000 years. ^*. The bow probably originated for use in hunting, and was then adopted as a tool of warfare. Bows eventually replaced the atlatl as the predominant means for launching projectiles. Archery was practiced in antiquity on every inhabited continent except Australia, demonstrating that it is both basic and versatile.

Classical archery

Classical civilizations, notably the Macedonians/Greeks, Persians, Parthians, Indians and Chinese, fielded large numbers of archers in their armies. Arrows proved exceptionally destructive against massed formations, and the use of archers often proved decisive. Archers sometimes rode on horseback, combining range with speed. Apollo, Odysseus, and other mythological characters are often depicted with a bow.

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