This fascinating and amply illustrated book charts the history of mounted archery from its ancient roots on the steppes of Eurasia thousands of years ago to its current resurgence in popularity in the Americas. It also provides the reader with up-to-the-minute practical information gleaned from a unique team of the world s leading experts. Mounted archery is shooting the bow and arrow from horseback at the canter and after a century and a half of neglect on the Great Plains of North America, interest in this thrilling activity is rapidly spreading from the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Capricorn. This is the story of the reappearance of this exciting discipline in the Americas. Horseback archery has its origins in two of the great grasslands of the world the United States Great Plains, and the vast steppes of Eurasia. As far back as 3,000 years ago Asian mounted warriors thundered down on their enemies in lightning surprise attacks, loosing showers of arrows which stunned and hopelessly dissembled their pedestrian opposition. The horseback archery culture of the American Indians reached a similar level of development and sophistication, but emerged much later and was a shorter phenomenon. Horses spread north from the Spanish colony of Mexico through the Plains beginning in the mid 1600 s, but this dynamic equestrian culture virtually vanished with the demise of the buffalo in the mid 1800 s. Yet this mounted tradition was revived when, in 1998, Kassai Lajos, the legendary Hungarian founder of the modern standardized discipline of mounted archery, came to the United States for now-legendary demonstration. The world s leading mounted archer returned for three subsequent training camps which inspired many others to take up the sport. Since then, mounted archery has spread with great enthusiasm across the United States, Canada and South America. This challenging and engaging discipline is promoted by the Mounted Archery Association of the Americas, and the royalties from this ground-breaking study of this ancient equestrian art are being donated to this Association.

This BHAA manual accompanies the BHAA qualifications syllabus; both for horseback archers and for coaches.The BHAA is the governing body for horseback archery in the UK.The manual is suited to anyone with an interest in horseback archery; whatever your level of experience. It covers each aspect of the sport: riding, archery, specific techniques and training suggestions for mounted archery, as well as rules and tactics for competition. Including over 100 pages of colour photographs and illustrations; with demonstration of techniques by experts.Step by step instructions on topics from training your horse to making and fine tuning your equipment. Discussion of the mechanics of bows and arrows, and archers' anatomy, explain how to optimise your performance and avoid injury.Articles on the history of horseback archery, plus 27 key horseback archery battles, bring the modern sport into a historic context.

No one knows for certain just when the bow and arrow came into use in America, but they were in use from the far North to the tip of South America when Europeans first arrived. Over the hemisphere the equipment ranged from very poor to excellent, with the finest bows of all being made in the Northwest of North America. Some of these bows rivaled the ancient classic bow in beauty of design and workmanship. The attitudes of whites toward Indian archers and their equipment have ranged from the highest of praise with mythical feats rivaling those of William Tell and Robin Hood-–o mockery and derision for the Indians' short, "deformed" bows and small arrows. The Laubins have found most of the popular conceptions of Indian archery to be erroneous-as are most of the preconceived notions about Indians—and in this book they attempt to correct some of these false impressions and to give a true picture of this ancient art as practiced by the original Americans. Following an introduction and history of Indian archery are chapters on comparison of bows, bow making and sinewed bows, horn bows, strings, arrows, quivers, shooting, medicine bows, Indian crossbows, and blowguns. Those wishing to learn something about the use of archery tackle by American Indians, something of the ingenuity associated with its manufacture and maintenance, and something about the importance of archery in everyday Indian life will find in this book a wealth of new, valuable, and important information.

"An overview of one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of European and non-European archery-related materials in the world. This book presents color photos and descriptions of some 300 items - including bows, arrows, quivers, and thumb rings- that represent traditional archery techniques, practices, and customs from around the world"--Provided by publisher.

Applies the 'life history' of objects approach to China's prehistoric, early dynastic and more recent material culture.

*Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award* *A New York Times Notable Book* *Winner of the Texas Book Award and the Oklahoma Book Award* This New York Times bestseller and stunning historical account of the forty-year battle between Comanche Indians and white settlers for control of the American West “is nothing short of a revelation…will leave dust and blood on your jeans” (The New York Times Book Review). Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches. Although readers may be more familiar with the tribal names Apache and Sioux, it was in fact the legendary fighting ability of the Comanches that determined when the American West opened up. Comanche boys became adept bareback riders by age six; full Comanche braves were considered the best horsemen who ever rode. They were so masterful at war and so skillful with their arrows and lances that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana. White settlers arriving in Texas from the eastern United States were surprised to find the frontier being rolled backward by Comanches incensed by the invasion of their tribal lands. The war with the Comanches lasted four decades, in effect holding up the development of the new American nation. Gwynne’s exhilarating account delivers a sweeping narrative that encompasses Spanish colonialism, the Civil War, the destruction of the buffalo herds, and the arrival of the railroads, and the amazing story of Cynthia Ann Parker and her son Quanah—a historical feast for anyone interested in how the United States came into being. Hailed by critics, S. C. Gwynne’s account of these events is meticulously researched, intellectually provocative, and, above all, thrillingly told. Empire of the Summer Moon announces him as a major new writer of American history.