43 42 From Homo sapiens to Ötzi - The origins of archery To delve into the origins of archery, one must look far back into the prehistory of humanity Around one and a half to two million years ago, Homo erectus developed It remains uncertain when and with what success they began hunting larger animals for sustenance However, certain prerequisites for the development of bows and arrows were already present, such as intellectual development, an upright posture, and two dexterous hands Prior to the use of bows and arrows, our meat-eating ancestors hunted by driving their prey over cliffs, setting traps, or throwing stones and later spears The bow and arrow evolved from the spear thrower The oldest arrowheads, dating back approximately 70,000 years, were found in Africa Recently, researchers in France discovered traces that suggest the use of bows and arrows as hunting tools around 54,000 years ago These early European archers were likely Homo sapiens, who coexisted with the less developed Neanderthals for a period Additional findings such as arrowheads as burial offerings, remnants of bows, and cave paintings originate from the later Stone Age, between 35,000 and 8,000 BC One of the oldest bows in the world, discovered in Mannheim-Vogelstang in the late 1970s, is made of pine wood and is approximately 17,600 years old The original length of about 110 centimetres allowed shots of up to 80 meters Other significant discoveries include 12,000-year-old pine wood arrow shafts found in Stellmoor near Hamburg and an 8,000 to 10,000-year-old yew wood bow from Holmegard, Denmark One of the most tangible pieces of evidence of prehistoric archery lies in cave paintings from 30,000 to 10,000 years ago, depicting animals and their hunters These paintings served religious and ritual purposes, including reconciliation with the killed animal, appeasing its spirits, giving thanks for past hunts, and seeking future hunting success Some of these paintings also suggest their use as targets for practice by the younger generation or as a pastime The further history of archery includes points such as mythology, antiquity, Ötzi, and the Germanic tribes (only German) TV Broadcasting and Streaming At the archery World Championships in Berlin, thousands of arrows will be shot, and not many of them will go unnoticed by the public due to numerous TV and streaming offers worldwide In Germany, ZDF and RBB will cover the World Championships, and a live stream will be available only behind a paywall within Germany due to rights issues For a total of 10 euros, all of the decisive arrows of the weekend can be viewed at www archery tv The significance of the quota place World Championships is evident in the foreign TV stations that acquired broadcasting rights Television stations from South Korea, India, Latin America, China, Turkey, Taiwan, and France will be broadcasting live, while an Italian and US-American station, as well as Eurosport, have purchased highlight rights Buddy Bear and WM-Song „Archer‘s Paradise“ Special events call for special measures! Therefore, organizers have come up with two „WM specials“ for the eyes and ears: a beautiful „Buddy Bear“ in the archeryWorld Championships design and a WM-Song specially composed for the event, titled „Archer‘s Paradise “ Berlin is famously known as „Bear City,“ and the archery World Championships in the German capital (July 31 to August 6) will firmly reflect this, with the WM logo featuring a bear, and the mascot „Archy“ roaming the venue – likely admiring the colourful reinforcement Artist Klio Karadim has created a magnificent „Buddy Bear“ measuring 2 meters in height and weighing 50 kilograms The colourful bear is adorned with various archery and Berlin motifs and, together with four other „Buddy exemplars,“ will undoubtedly be a popular photo motif at the World Championships Another charming addition could emerge during the event – an earworm Joachim Coch composed the WM-Song „Archer‘s Paradise,“ which, of course, revolves around archery and the fascination of releasing arrows The chorus goes: „Welcome to my archer‘s paradise, a kingdom deep within me, where arrows fly, wildest dreams are born, where passion and dedication reside In my archer‘s paradise!“ The song will be available on Spotify, Apple Music, and all other streaming platforms Our tip: Turn up the volume and sing along!
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