Posted on 06/10/2008 8:30:00 PM PDT by blam
Early Humans Experimented To Get Bow And Arrow Just Right, Findings Suggest
Arrow points (top) were reworked and refined through experimentation, often using dart points (bottom) as a starting place. The difference between the two types of points (size and neck/stem width) can be observed in this photo. (Credit: University of Missouri)
ScienceDaily (Jun. 11, 2008) — In today's fast-paced, technologically advanced world, people often take the innovation of new technology for granted without giving much thought to the trial-and-error experimentation that makes technology useful in everyday life. When the "cutting-edge" technology of the bow and arrow was introduced to the world, it changed the way humans hunted and fought. University of Missouri archaeologists have discovered that early man, on the way to perfecting the performance of this new weapon, engaged in experimental research, producing a great variety of projectile points in the quest for the best, most effective system.
"Technological innovation and change has become a topic that interests people," said R. Lee Lyman, professor and chair of the University of Missouri Department of Anthropology. "When the bow and arrow appeared in North America, roughly 1,500 years ago, it eventually replaced the atlatl (spear thrower) and dart. The introduction of the bow and arrow, a different weapon delivery system, demanded some innovative thinking and technology. In other words, one could not just shoot a dart from a bow. Components like the shaft and arrow point needed to be reinvented."
Because the necessary flight dynamics and mechanics of the arrow wouldn't have been fully understood, the indigenous people at the time would have experimented--trying all sorts of points with different types of shafts, attempting to discover the best combinations. This reinvention process can be seen archaeologically through an increase in the number and variation of projectile points--indicating the transition period between the atlatl and the bow and arrow.
"Everyone is looking for the better mouse trap," Lyman said. "Once a change is made in one variable, it may prompt changes in another variable because the two are mechanically linked. For example, if something gets longer, generally, it will get heavier. This is called a cascade effect. This, in combination with experimentation, resulted in the tremendous variation in projectile points."
Lyman said there is evidence of an initial burst of variation in projectile points at the time bow-and-arrow technology was introduced and that prehistoric artisans experimentally sought arrow points that worked effectively. Following that initial burst, less-effective projectile models were discarded, causing archaeologists to see a reduction in variation.
In the course of this research, Lyman and his collaborators, T.L VanPool and M.J. O'Brien, analyzed the data from more than 1,000 projectile points from three separate geographical locations. Lyman's study, "Variation in North American dart points and arrow points when one, or both are present," will be published in an issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science in fall 2008.
Adapted from materials provided by University of Missouri-Columbia.
GGG Ping.
But through an iterative process.
Really??? I was sure the first one they ever made was perfect.
I believe this may interest you...
No kidding? I figured that it just came together perfectly right from the start.
evolution is everywhere
Well, heck yeah, look at all the new variables introduced: shaft construction type and materials, broadhead size and type, fletchings, bow construction, string selection.
You take it for granted that you can order up some aluminum Easton shafts personalized in length for your personal draw, and Muzzie broadheads for your PSE bow.
I shall file this under “No $***, Sherlock.”
Then the cavemen discovered fire...
cavemen discovered 2 sticks rubbed against the fire would produce energy...
cavemen discover bullets when the stones they put into the fire made it;s way into the air...
cavemen discover guns which made the bow and arrow look foolish when the tribe used it to kill off the dinosaurs...
This sounds to me like someone just stating the obvious.
And to think, these clowns are getting paid for this.
Yeah me too. I thought they just pulled it full-fledged out of their butt like most of man’s other inventions. Glad some scientist made a buck off this.
Amazing.Trial and error. What a novel concept. Never heard of it before.
The first bow must have been square, with the arrow having a point on both ends.
Ugh! Bow suck!
Or should that be “No B$*** Barney”?
You’ll like this one.
The interesting part is that they didn’t have bows and arrows until 500 AD. That’s a little hard to believe.
Gee ya think early man used empirical methods?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.