Berkeley Undergraduate Journal of Classics

This research looks to investigate the designs of ancient bows depicted on ancient Greek pottery. The goal is to show that the bows most commonly shown are not native to the Greek mainland but rather are from both Scythia and Egypt. This has been done by examining a number of vases, pyramid friezes, and modern bow reconstructions. The common use of the Scythian design for archer characters in scenes of myth implies a familiarity with archery primarily through the Scythian mercenaries. The Egyptian acacia deflex bow design, while rare in vase depictions, directly corresponds to images on pyramids. The Egyptian angular composite bow appears in a rare case on a Greek vase, but its depiction is consistent with modern historical reconstructions. Through showing these non-native bow origins, this paper hopes to further demonstrate the worldly influences to archaic Greece.