Testing the Shepherd Sling
Location
PANEL: Archaeology and Geology at Oberlin and Abroad
Wilder Hall 101
Document Type
Presentation - Open Access
Start Date
5-13-2022 4:00 PM
End Date
5-13-2022 5:30 PM
Abstract
Slings, one of the simplest and earliest forms of weapons technology, have been used by many cultures from prehistory to the modern day. This research project focuses on European shepherd slings, which have received surprisingly little scholarly attention. Furthermore, many of the claims made by scholars about their use are made without direct experimental evidence, or contain claims that overreach and overstate their results. This project adds much needed specificity to the study of sling technology through experimentation that explicitly accounts for (1) the skill level of the user (novice), and (2) the type of target (a distant grouping of enemy soldiers rather than a single individual). I test the hypothesis that untrained individuals will have more frequent success hitting a distant target through the use of a longer style sling than a shorter style variety. Slings are hand-made by the experimenter using leather and hemp cordage as attested to by historic accounts and the archaeological record.
Keywords:
Archaeology, History, Military, Experimental
Recommended Citation
Nosanchuk, Robyn, "Testing the Shepherd Sling" (2022). Research Symposium. 9.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/researchsymp/2022/presentations/9
Project Mentor(s)
Amy Margaris, Archaeological Studies
Drew Wilburn, Archaeological Studies
2022
Testing the Shepherd Sling
PANEL: Archaeology and Geology at Oberlin and Abroad
Wilder Hall 101
Slings, one of the simplest and earliest forms of weapons technology, have been used by many cultures from prehistory to the modern day. This research project focuses on European shepherd slings, which have received surprisingly little scholarly attention. Furthermore, many of the claims made by scholars about their use are made without direct experimental evidence, or contain claims that overreach and overstate their results. This project adds much needed specificity to the study of sling technology through experimentation that explicitly accounts for (1) the skill level of the user (novice), and (2) the type of target (a distant grouping of enemy soldiers rather than a single individual). I test the hypothesis that untrained individuals will have more frequent success hitting a distant target through the use of a longer style sling than a shorter style variety. Slings are hand-made by the experimenter using leather and hemp cordage as attested to by historic accounts and the archaeological record.
