winkleried
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This is not a word for word translation, this is Aussie Slinger cleaning it up a bit for those of us that speak only english. For you Polish slingers out there send me a PM with your E-mail Address and I will send ya the original Polish article
Marc Adkins
"IS THE “GDANSK SLING” MERELY A TOY?
Amongst the finds discovered during archaeological excavations in Gdansk is a unique sling. This item was found in strata dated to the end of the 10th Century. The sling consists of a hard plaited leather ring (Pol. “bowl”) which holds the projectile, as well as two leather thongs. The dimensions of the item (as reconstructed by H. Wiklak) are: overall length 38 +12 cm. giving a total of 50 cm, the width of the thongs: from 0.4 to 1.5 cm, the external diameter of the ring is 4.5 cm and the internal diameter is 2.0 cm. It must be pointed out that it does not vary significantly from similar items, as depicted in literature, other than in its method of construction and its dimensions. Such a sling would have been effective to 100 m and a skilled slinger is able to hit his mark at such a distance. It seems, therefore, from the following, that categorizing the Gdansk sling as a toy is incorrect. It must be recognised that it falls firmly within the normal parameters for this kind of weapon; the only disputable point being its use - whether for military application or for hunting. M Gradowski, in his article, describes an interesting contemporary incident relating to the use of slings. He stresses their merits as weapons for hunting, both effective and silent in use, which is of inestimable value when hunting wary animals. A skilled slinger may be able to hunt an animal without approaching too closely or making excessive noise. On the other hand, he wonders about the effectiveness of slings for military use.
It is known that slings were used by special units within infantry forces in ancient times. There is however a lack of evidence for their use in European armies during the Middle Ages. The closest to the item in question being a depiction on the Bayeux tapestry which shows a similar weapon being used to hunt birds. However the same principles as those which function in slings were employed in the construction of medieval siege engines. From experiments conducted by M.Gradowski, and based on the opinions of persons skilled in the use of slings it is evident that these simple and effective weapons have two main “downers”. Firstly, proficiency with one requires constant practise. An out of practise slinger is not only ineffective but may be a hazard to those in his immediate vicinity. Secondly is the availability of ammunition. In rocky terrain, for example, hills or arid steppes, acquiring it poses no problem. However the situation is very different when there is a lack of suitable stones in the area. In this case a slinger would have to transport sufficient quantities with him, which over long distances would prove impracticable.
Therefore we should lean towards M. Gradowski’s opinion and accept that the sling was used primarily as a hunting weapon in Europe from as early as the Middle Ages, which of course doesn’t counter the possibility of its occasional effective use in military applications. It is also from this vantage point that we should consider the Gdansk sling.
Translated from the original article by Krystyna Nadolska, University of Lodz, Faculty of Archaeology 1998 "
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