How well do you really know your bow? What are its historical origins, and how is it related to the other great families of bows around the world, ancient and modern? And how do the differences in bow designs reflect different styles of archery and levels of performance? This work surveys the multiple varieties and peak achievements of the art of archery from around the world, covering primitive, traditional and modern bows from the civilizations of North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. Beginning with an account of how prehistoric human ingenuity developed the bow - one of the most complex of our early tools - the text examines why different societies produced different styles of archery, and gives particular emphasis to the distinction between bows for war and bows for hunting. Dimensions and construction materials are given for each bow examined, along with sidebars on arrows and quivers. Also included are key shooting characteristics and performance facts, as well as an in-depth focus on the legends, folklore, and spiritual attributes that have developed around archery, from Native American myths to Zen meditative artistry.