Archery has shaped human history, estimated to have first developed over 60,000 years ago it has allowed us to feed and clothe ourselves, as well as fend off invading forces. Vedic hymns in the Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda lay emphasis on the use of the bow and arrow. ARCHERY HISTORY. However, as the Roman Empire grows, it increasingly relies upon archers. [24] They were masters of horse archery, and they devastated all in their path. Olympic archery is the most popular type of competitive archery in the world, using WA targets at a distance of 70m. The second largest in all of human history. It also mentions an archery school at Taxila which enrolled 103 princes from different kingdoms across the empire. Archers throughout Chinese history would often employ the use of a bow and arrow for both hunting and warfare, with many dynasties placing an emphasis on mounted archery. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. Handong Global University, 2007. Since then, archery has developed as a recreational and competitive sport. The arrows land on the ground and the nearest to the flag wins. That was just the start of it: then came the Hunger Games, both books and films. It was incorporated into the standing armies of the Mahajanapadas, and used in mounted warfare on horses, camels, and elephants with a howdah. University of Manchester, 1980. The importance of archery continued through antiquity during the Maurya Empire. I know, I know. In the 1940s, two bows were found there, dated to about 8,000 BP. Boudot-Lamotte, A. The archers served as an integral division of the military and was used on foot and on chariots. The bow and arrow were most likely the first human invention to both store and release energy.
After the American civil war, confederate soldiers are not allowed to own firearms. A war chariot of that time carried a three-man team: driver, lancer and archer.

Introduction of the Yew longbow allowed England to have many successes in battle, including the battles of Crecy (1346), Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt (1415). I keep thinking I might try it someday.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmegaard_bow, From 90,000 to 40,000 BCE: Arrowheads found in north Africa, 64 000 BCE: arrowheads in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 27,000 BCE arrowheads found in ancient sites in China, 20,000 BCE: pictures of bow and arrows drawn on a cave wall in Valltorta Gorge in Spain, From 10,000 BCE, sharp fragments of flint inserted into bone or wood arrowheads found across Europe and Asia, About 4,000 BCE, triangular or teardrop shaped arrowheads used in central Asia, Compound bows start using wood and antler, Bronze used for arrowheads, shaped to fit arrow shafts, 3300 BCE: use of quivers shown when man found preserved in glacier with quiver of arrows, 1300 BCE: Tutankhamun buried with Simple and composite bows, and hundreds of arrows. Gradually archers went out of favour and were no longer needed in warfare.