EXARC Journal (Nov 2019)
The Iron Age Shepherd Sling
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to examine the shepherd sling to form an understanding as to why it would appear to be the most dominant missile weapon of Iron Age Britain (Harding, 2012, p.194). The experiment consisted of making and using the sling, testing its range and accuracy to reveal its strengths and limitations. This experiment was also intended to introduce a different interpretation from previous experiments which have been conducted by both, professional slingers and novices in the practical use of weaponry; each brought solid conclusions which suggested that the sling was hard to master and only used by professionals. What we must consider is that people of the Iron Age would have been very practically minded with transferable skills, potentially; making the use of the sling much easier for the common person of this period. As I am a qualified weapons expert in Kobujutsu and Ninjutsu, I intended to put this theory to the test and see if my skills were transferable. Within these disciplines, chained or roped weaponry are used as climbing aids or to trap, ensnare and even throw at opponents (Hayes, 1981, pp.69-76), additionally; bladed implements of all types are also taught to be thrown (Hatsumi, 1981, pp.165-77). My aim was to combine the swinging technique of a chain, followed by a throwing technique to understand the dynamics of how to use a sling; challenging the theory that the sling was difficult to master and filling the void from previous perspectives. Before construction it was important to look at the history of the sling, the archaeological record and how it may be used in modern-day society, gauging a better understanding of how it was used and for what reason. This knowledge gave me enough information to replicate and use the sling to undertake controlled experiments, giving a better insight into the sling’s capabilities and the people of Iron Age Britain.
