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Making a bow and arrow

Crafting

In 1991, a body was found in the Alps. It had been preserved for centuries under a thick layer of ice. The ice mummy turned out to be a man who had lived more than five thousand years ago. He was named Ötzi, after the Ötztal, the valley where he was discovered.

At the time of his death he was carrying a bow, several arrows, a backpack and a copper axe. In this activity, you’ll make your own arrow and bow. Can you shoot like Ötzi?

You’ll also learn fascinating facts from scientific research on Ötzi’s bow and arrows!

Step by Step

Requirements

  • firm wooden branch

  • rope (not stretchable)

  • straight firm branches

  • tape or wool

  • pocket knife

  • feathers

  • measuring tape

  • Somebody who can help you

Instructions

  1. Find a dry, straight, flexible branch about one meter long for your bow. Test it to make sure it bends easily without breaking!
  2. For your arrows, find a few thin, strong, straight branches. Remove any protrusions from the branches. 
  3. Test your branch to find the point where it bends most easily. This will be the middle of your bow.

  4. Wrap about 15 cm of the branch at that point with (colored) tape or yarn, as shown in the bow illustration next to it.

  5. Use a pocket knife to make notches across the branch about 6 cm from each end. These will hold the string in place and keep it secure.

  6. Cut a piece of string slightly shorter than your bow. If it’s too long, the bow won’t bend properly. Tie the string into the notches on the ends of the bow. Trim your arrows to size, they should be about half as long as the bow. If you like, you can carve a point at the end of each arrow. Your bow is ready!

Tipps

  • Use a cardboard box as a target, or draw a circle on the outside wall with chalk. Aim only at the circle or the target!

  • Attach four feathers to the end of the arrow. This will help the arrow fly straight toward its target.

Meisje Met Pijl En Schietschijf

Did you know...

  • ...Ötzi was carrying a bow that wasn’t finished. Why do you think he would have brought it anyway?

  • ...Ötzi was carrying 14 arrows, but only 2 of them were ready to use.

  • ...he was killed by an arrow shot from behind. How and why it happened remains a mystery.

  • ...Ötzi’s two arrows were made by two different people? The feathers at the ends were attached by one left-handed person and one right-handed person. Visitors discovered this because the arrows were wrapped in different ways.

© Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum Ötzi