Scythian Composite Bow

Timeline

1. c. -700–-600South Siberian Steppe · South Siberian SteppeEarly composite bow fragments excavated from tombs in Altai and South Siberia show that steppe peoples had mastered wood-horn-sinew lamination techniques; the bow's recurve design significantly shortened its length, laying the foundation for mounted archery on horseback.
2. c. -500–-300Steppe of the Northern Black Sea coast · Northern Black Sea coastHerodotus records the Scythian tactic of 'shooting backward while retreating'; complete composite bows and quivers excavated from tombs such as Pazyryk show that mounted archery had become the core combat method of nomadic cavalry, exerting sustained pressure on the Persian and Greek frontiers.
3. c. -200–1Central Asia and the Iranian Plateau · Iranian PlateauThe Parthian 'Parthian shot' and the mounted archery traditions of the Sakas, Yuezhi, and other tribes all inherited and developed steppe composite bow technology; Hellenistic armies also began to value the counterplay and learning from light cavalry and horse archers.