The 4 Disciplines

The Four Disciplines - an Academic classification of Bows from History. These classifications help us the identify the draw techniques, styles, uses and history behind the bows used. They are not rigid and many bow profiles can be found internationally. At Lykopis we use these four classifications to break down each Discipline’s unique background, teaching that to the aspiring Archer.

The Asiatic Composite: These are the bows and techniques of the Steppe, Asia, and Eastern Europe. This Discipline can be found in both foot and Horse Archery.

The Longbow: Study the diverse history of a not-so-simple stick; starting with the Viking Longbow to the ‘Welsh’ longbow of the 100 Years War, and Tudor Longbows from the Mary Rose. Finally, students will explore modern longbows and the advances made in composite and laminate longbows.

The Flat bow: Focuses on the origins of the North American Flat bow. Starting with First Nations and Native American bows, this discipline focuses on the traditional use of the flat bow: hunting. Students will engage in a variety of activities including learning to shoot stealthily, crafting equipment and much more.

The Lithics: This discipline concentrates on archery equipment used during the Stone Age throughout the Bronze Age.

As a student of Lykopis you will have access to many crafting workshops, specialty classes and presentations about the history and theory of archery. You will gain an introduction into the global community of Archers and the opportunity to explore the world of traditional and historical archery.