A Brief History of Archery:-

Archery is one of the oldest arts still practiced. This history will not only take you through a journey on the evolution of archery but also through the history of mankind. Evidence of ancient archery has been found throughout the world.

The earliest evidence of archery dates to the late Paleolithic period, around 10,000 BC, when the Egyptian and neighboring Nubian cultures used bows and arrows archery for the purposes of hunting and warfare.

Archery in ancient India has been respected and regarded as a divine art, quite secret and sacred, clad in mysticism. Archery is directly linked with our glorious past and National prestige; the very mention of Archery instills a sense of pride among the Indians. It is widely liked and practiced, be it as sports & recreation or as a part of the religious festivity. The two great epics of India, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata, describe at length the artistry and perfection achieved by Indian archers centuries earlier. The feats of Arjuna, Eklavya, Karna, Bhishm Pitamah, Dronacharya, Bhagwan Parsuram, Guru Gobind Singh ji, and those of Lord Rama, Laxman, and Meghnath are still recounted with great pride.

The Fédération Internationale de Tir à l’Arc (popularly known as FITA and now called ‘World Archery’) was founded in 1931 in Lwow, Poland, which is now known as Lviv, Ukraine by delegates representing seven countries including the Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and the USA. Archery first appeared in the Olympic Games in 1900 and contested again in 1904, 1908, and 1920. Women competed in the 1904 Olympics, making archery one of the first sports to include events for both genders. The sport then had a 52-year hiatus from the Olympics. It was reintroduced to the program in the 1972 Olympics, with individual events for men and women.