Germanic Archers?

[jbd_29349]

I have a new recurit joining the Tribe. He and his wife are into archery and asked if he could do an archer impression. My reply was simply "I have no idea if you can or not?"

I know that the Germanic tribes used short spears/javelins but I am not sure if they used archers. Our tribe is from late 2nd century to early 3rd century.

Can anyone help me with this?

[Robert Vermaat]

Hi Joshua,

Of course they did. The finds of arrowheads in graves is clear about that.

[authun]

About 40 bows and bow fragments were found at Nydam, along with many arrows and arrow heads.

Some of the shield bosses have cuts were the arrows penetrated.

cheers

Harry A

[jbd_29349]

Do we know what shape of arrow heads that were used?

Did they use the recurve bow like the Romans used or did they use the long bow?

Did they wear armor of any kind? (chainmail, helmet, sheild, etc...)

Thanks!!!

[Conal]

From what I recall they had everthing from swallowtail hunting arrows, through square sectioned mail busters to bone tipped arrows.

Bows a smaller version of the English longbow.

All images I have seen show archers as unarmoured light skirmishers.

http://www.dbaol.com/armies/army_77a_figure_1.htm this sight is good source of images.

[Martin Moser]

Hi,

here are a few pics on bows and arrows from Nydam (all from: Nydam und Thorsberg. Opferplätze der Eisenzeit. Begleitheft zur Ausstellung von Michael Gebühr. Schleswig 2000.)

Fletching marks, very narrow on some very narrow on others:



Arrow heads (reconstructions):



Details of bow and fletching:



Bows found were mostly made of yew, about 170 - 180 cm long. War arrow heads mostly were needle-type, armor piecing.

[Martin Moser]

2 more pics:

Reconstructed bow and arrows:



original shield boss probably pierced by arrows:



hope this helps :-) )

[authun]

Just to add to what Martin posted above, from the same booklet, the arrow tips are either bone or iron. Some of the socketed arrows were secured by a small pin. These were mostly leaf shaped and not considered good enough tom pierce chain mail. War arrows, the needle tips with square cross section would pass through chain mail. They mainly have a tongue which is inserted into a split shaft which is then bound.

The war bows have self nocks. Some have a string nail. The pointed tip in the photo above is not a nock. It allowed the bow to be used as a spear, presumably in the case of emergency.

I seem to recall a piece of chain mail but it's not in the book, so I can't be certain. Shields definitely, there are a few bosses.

The problem with the finds is who do we attribute them to?

Ilkjaer proposes that the booty origins between 220 AD and 240 AD came firstly from the south and south west and would likely have weapons of roman origin. Ilkjaer also propses attacks from the direction of southern sweden around 300 AD.

Swords were found which were roman in origin but which had germanic handles. The Thorsbjerg trousers are thought to be roman riding breetches and the tunic is thought to be a tunica rosa, given to foreigners who achieved high rank as an officer in roman service. The tunic was red with purple trim on the sleeves.

Here is part of a bow and an arrow from Illerup:

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h142/ ... wArrow.jpg

some arrow heads:

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h142/ ... heads2.jpg

This guy makes bow replicas. This one an alemannic bow from around 500 AD.

http://www.pfeil-bogen.de/oberflachtzug.htm

cheers

authun

[jbd_29349]

Thanks for the information!!! It was a great help!