Wiethase: Bows and Arrows of the Indian Subcontinent

Several millennia of Indian archery traditions in one book.

This volume describes archery and its equipment from the earliest Indian civilisations until modern times. It covers the Indian subcontinent including prts of today's Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Over the course of its turbulent history this part of the world was not only the home of many diverse indigenous peoples, but also the interest of different expanding neighbours such as Greeks, Mongol, Parthers, Scythians, Arians, and White Huns. For more than 300 years the largest part of the subcontinent was under the rule of the islamic Moguls, for roughly 250 years under the influence of the british East India Company, and until 1919 a British colony.
All these invaders with their bows and arrows left their marks on Indian archery traditions as well as other cultures like the Romans and the Chinese who had trading connections with the wealthy subcontinent and old Ceylon, being part of a mutual exchange in this respect.
Hence this book not only describes the traditional Indian bows, the crab bow and the stelle bow, but also those of the different invaders. Bows and arrows of the various indigenous peoples are also covered extensively.

276 pp., more than 480 mostly full colour ill., 70 graphics, and 15 Maps.