The oldest evidence of likely arrowheads, dating to c.

64,000 years ago, were found in Sibudu Cave,

[2][3][4][5][6]
current South Africa. Likely arrowheads made from animal bones have been discovered
in the Fa Hien Cave in Sri Lanka which are also the oldest evidence for the use of arrows outside of
[7] [8]
Africa dating to c. 48,000 years ago. The oldest evidence of the use of bows to shoot arrows
dates to about 10,000 years ago; it is based on pinewood arrows found in the Ahrensburg valley
north of Hamburg. They had shallow grooves on the base, indicating that they were shot from a
[9]
bow. The oldest bow so far recovered is about 8,000 years old, found in the Holmegård swamp in
Denmark. Archery seems to have arrived in the Americas with the Arctic small tool tradition, about
4,500 years ago.

Size[edit]

Schematic of an arrow with many parts.

Arrow sizes vary greatly across cultures, ranging from eighteen inches to six feet (45 cm to 150
[10]
cm). However, most modern arrows are 75 cm (30 in) to 96 cm (38 in) in length. Arrows
recovered from the Mary Rose, an English warship that sank in 1545 were mostly 76 cm (30 in)
[11]
long. Very short arrows have been used, shot through a guide attached either to the bow (an
[12]
"overdraw") or to the archer's wrist (the Turkish "siper"). These may fly farther than heavier
arrows, and an enemy without suitable equipment may find himself unable to return them.

Shaft[edit]

A sideprofile of an Easton Carbon One arrow with a spine of 900, taken with a scanning electron
microscope (SEM). The arrow is a bond of two carbon tubes, an inner and an outer tube (black wires). In
 between both carbon layers, another fiber is used (white fiber). This second fiber is an Mg-Al-Si-fiber. The
"white" fiber is twisted around the inner carbon tube. The fibers of the carbon tubes are not twisted, to
ensure a maximum of possible mechanical tension of the arrow. The Mg-Al-Si-fiber enhances the flexibility
of the arrow. The diameter of a single carbon fiber is approx. 7 µm.

The shaft is the primary structural element of the arrow, to which the other components are attached.
Traditional arrow shafts are made from strong, lightweight wood, bamboo or reeds, while modern
shafts may be made from aluminium, carbon fibre reinforced plastic, or a combination of materials.
Such shafts are typically made from an aluminium core wrapped with a carbon fibre outer. A
[13]
traditional premium material is Port Orford Cedar.

Spine[edit]

The stiffness of the shaft is known as its spine, referring to how little the shaft bends when
compressed, hence an arrow which bends less is said to have more spine. In order to strike
consistently, a group of arrows must be similarly spined. "Center-shot" bows, in which the arrow
passes through the central vertical axis of the bow riser, may obtain consistent results from arrows
with a wide range of spines. However, most traditional bows are not center-shot and the arrow has to
deflect around the handle in the archer's paradox; such bows tend to give most consistent results
with a narrower range of arrow spine that allows the arrow to deflect correctly around the bow. Bows
with higher draw weight will generally require stiffer arrows, with more spine (less flexibility) to give
the correct amount of flex when shot.

GPI rating[edit]

[14]
The weight of an arrow shaft can be expressed in GPI (grains per inch). The length of a shaft in
inches multiplied by its GPI rating gives the weight of the shaft in grains. For example, a shaft that is
30 inches (760 mm) long and has a GPI of 9.5 weighs 285 grains (18 grams). This does not include
the other elements of a finished arrow, so a complete arrow will be heavier than the shaft alone.

Footed arrows[edit]

Sometimes a shaft will be made of two different types of wood fastened together, resulting in what is
[15]
known as a footed arrow. Known by some as the finest of wood arrows, footed arrows were used
both by early Europeans and Native Americans. Footed arrows will typically consist of a short length
of hardwood near the head of the arrow, with the remainder of the shaft consisting of softwood. By
reinforcing the area most likely to break, the arrow is more likely to survive impact, while maintaining
overall flexibility and lighter weight.

Barreled arrow shafts[edit]

A barreled arrow shaft is one that tapers in diameter bi-directionally. This allows for an arrow that has
an optimum weight yet retains enough strength to resist flex. A Qing dynasty arrow shaft was
[16]
examined by archery enthusiast Peter Dekker and found to exhibit the following qualities:

● Total shaft length: 944 mm (37.2 in)

● Thickness at waist line: 8.5 mm (0.33 in)
 ● Thickness at end of feather: 11 mm (0.43 in)
● Thickness 530 mm (21 in) from end: 12 mm (0.47 in)
● Thickness 300 mm (12 in) from end: 12 mm (0.47 in)
● Thickness 218 mm (8.6 in) from end: 11 mm (0.43 in)
● Thickness 78 mm (3.1 in) from end: 10 mm (0.39 in)
● Thickness at end: 9 mm (0.35 in)
The resultant point-of-balance of the arrow shaft was thus 38.5% of the length of the arrow from the
tip. Barreled arrow shafts are considered the zenith of pre-industrial archery technology, reaching
[17][18]
their peak design among the Ottomans.

Arrowhead[edit]
Main article: Arrowhead

Obsidian broadhead

Ancient Greek bronze arrowhead, 4th century BC, from Olynthus, Chalcidice

Various Japanese arrowheads

 Native American arrowheads

20th century field points

Modern replicas of various medieval European arrowheads

The arrowhead or projectile point is the primary functional part of the arrow, and plays the largest
role in determining its purpose. Some arrows may simply use a sharpened tip of the solid shaft, but it
[citation needed]
is far more common for separate arrowheads to be made, usually from metal, horn, or
some other hard material. Arrowheads are usually separated by function:
● Bodkin points are short, rigid points with a small cross-section. They were made of
unhardened iron and may have been used for better or longer flight, or for cheaper
production. It has been mistakenly suggested that the bodkin came into its own as a
[19]
means of penetrating armour, but research has found no hardened bodkin points, so it
 is likely that it was first designed either to extend range or as a cheaper and simpler
alternative to the broadhead. In a modern test, a direct hit from a hard steel bodkin point
[20]
penetrated Damascus chain armour. However, archery was not effective against plate
armour, which became available to knights of fairly modest means by the late 14th
[21]
century.
● Blunts are unsharpened arrowheads occasionally used for types of target shooting, for
shooting at stumps or other targets of opportunity, or hunting small game when the goal
is to concuss the target without penetration. Blunts are commonly made of metal or hard
rubber. They may stun, and occasionally, the arrow shaft may penetrate the head and
the target; safety is still important with blunt arrows.
● Judo points have spring wires extending sideways from the tip. These catch on grass
and debris to prevent the arrow from being lost in the vegetation. Used for practice and
for small game.
● Broadheads were used for war and are still used for hunting. Medieval broadheads
[19]
could be made from steel, sometimes with hardened edges. They usually have two to
four sharp blades that cause massive bleeding in the victim. Their function is to deliver a
wide cutting edge so as to kill as quickly as possible by cleanly cutting major blood
vessels, and cause further trauma on removal. They are expensive, damage most
targets, and are usually not used for practice.
There are two main types of broadheads used by hunters: the fixed-blade and the mechanical
types. While the fixed-blade broadhead keeps its blades rigid and unmovable on the broadhead
at all times, the mechanical broadhead deploys its blades upon contact with the target, its blades
swinging out to wound the target. The mechanical head flies better because it is more
streamlined, but has less penetration as it uses some of the kinetic energy in the arrow to deploy
[22]
its blades. However, hunters recommend mechanical broadheads for hunting big animals like
elk, moose, american bison etc.
● Field tips are similar to target points and have a distinct shoulder, so that missed
outdoor shots do not become as stuck in obstacles such as tree stumps. They are also
used for shooting practice by hunters, by offering similar flight characteristics and
weights as broadheads, without getting lodged in target materials and causing excessive
damage upon removal.
● Target points are bullet-shaped with a conical point, designed to penetrate target butts
easily without causing excessive damage to them.
● Safety arrows are designed to be used in various forms of reenactment combat, to
reduce the risk when shot at people. These arrows may have heads that are very wide or
padded, such as the large foam ball tip used in archery tag. In combination with bows of
restricted draw weight and draw length, these heads may reduce to acceptable levels the
risks of shooting arrows at suitably armoured people. The parameters will vary
depending on the specific rules being used and on the levels of risk felt acceptable to the
participants. For instance, SCA combat rules require a padded head at least 1
● +
1
● ⁄4 in (3.2 cm) in diameter, with bows not exceeding 28 inches (710 mm) and 50 lb (23
[23]
kg) of draw for use against well-armoured individuals.
Arrowheads may be attached to the shaft with a cap, a socketed tang, or inserted into a split in the
[10]
shaft and held by a process called hafting. Points attached with caps are simply slid snugly over
the end of the shaft, or may be held on with hot glue. Split-shaft construction involves splitting the
[24]
arrow shaft lengthwise, inserting the arrowhead, and securing it using a ferrule, sinew, or wire.