The more usual 'Asiatic' method is shown on this Greek illustration, though the cap being worn probably indicates a non-Greek archer:
http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/badm...large.html
This method also produces a crouching position (which can be seen in other ancient illustrations), but, I think importantly, ends with the archer's leg within the strung bow. The archer then has to extract his leg. The method using the ground as a fixed point to lever against would result in the leg being free after stringing, allowing an immediate shot from a crouching position. That this would be advantageous in battle is moot, but a culture that invents a foot-race carrying a heavy bronze-faced shield could easily evolve archery competitions requiring this sort of "showy-move".
I suspect that the modern re-enactor, having shelled out a large amount of money to have a custom reproduction composite bow made, may unconsciously project onto an ancient archer a rather heightened degree of care for what was to him just a tool. The level of potential damage from using the ground as an anchor point would depend on the shape of the bow and the angle that the tip was presented at, and the nature of the ground itself.
Apparently, in the Hebrew Old Testament the word "ddrak", to tread, occurs in conjunction with the word for bow. This is interpreted as being the description of stringing a bow, implying that the bow was bent for stringing by being anchored under the foot. The use of the ground for leverage seems to be not confined to one culture.Treading the Bow, J. A. Emerton, Vetus Testamentum, Vol. 53, Fasc. 4 (Oct., 2003), pp. 465-486
http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/badm...large.html
This method also produces a crouching position (which can be seen in other ancient illustrations), but, I think importantly, ends with the archer's leg within the strung bow. The archer then has to extract his leg. The method using the ground as a fixed point to lever against would result in the leg being free after stringing, allowing an immediate shot from a crouching position. That this would be advantageous in battle is moot, but a culture that invents a foot-race carrying a heavy bronze-faced shield could easily evolve archery competitions requiring this sort of "showy-move".
I suspect that the modern re-enactor, having shelled out a large amount of money to have a custom reproduction composite bow made, may unconsciously project onto an ancient archer a rather heightened degree of care for what was to him just a tool. The level of potential damage from using the ground as an anchor point would depend on the shape of the bow and the angle that the tip was presented at, and the nature of the ground itself.
Apparently, in the Hebrew Old Testament the word "ddrak", to tread, occurs in conjunction with the word for bow. This is interpreted as being the description of stringing a bow, implying that the bow was bent for stringing by being anchored under the foot. The use of the ground for leverage seems to be not confined to one culture.Treading the Bow, J. A. Emerton, Vetus Testamentum, Vol. 53, Fasc. 4 (Oct., 2003), pp. 465-486
Martin
Fac me cocleario vomere!
Fac me cocleario vomere!
