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Sling Ambush (Read 2480 times)

Kick

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Sling Ambush
Jul 7^th, 2021 at 6:17am

This has probably been on here before, but these French blog posts detailing a possible ambush site where hundreds of sling bullets were rained down on two crossing points. As it says, it's not a confirmed ambush (no bodies were found, just the bullets), but it is a pretty compelling argument that's presented. These sorts of scenarios must have played out thousands of times throughout history as it's the perfect use for a sling. Surprise attack on a group that is concentrated in one area: the perfect ambush.

https://nicolas-constans.net/2014-02-18-un-guet-apens-en-bord-de-seine-a-lage-du
-bronze/

Google does a pretty good job at translating it. Here is a bit more about the bullets themselves:

https://nicolas-constans.net/guet-apens-de-lage-du-bronze-quelques-complements/

You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923

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Hirtius Senior Member Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 272 Gender:	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #1 - Jul 7^th, 2021 at 6:11pm https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1542975340/0
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Kick past-moderator Offline Posts: 4451 Finland	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #2 - Jul 8^th, 2021 at 3:19am I even commented on that topic! Man, my memory is terrible
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TOMBELAINE

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Re: Sling Ambush
Reply #3 - Jul 9^th, 2021 at 5:11am

Hello,
I did a study on the size of these slingstones, with the agreement of the archeologists. For the moment, they have not yet published all their works. So, I'm not talking about.
Archeologists are exciting people but they don't yet have experience in the sling. I think they have not yet realized the richness of their discovery.
I thank them very much and I learned a lot with them and their scientific approach.
I let you know and all your comments will be welcome.

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TOMBELAINE Funditor Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 741 france Gender:	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #4 - Jul 10^th, 2021 at 4:24am Excavations began in 2010 or 2011. The goal was to study 10 000 years of evolution on the banks of the river. The discovery of the "village" of the bronze age is a coincidence. I don't know if the excavations are finished but in 2019 and 2020, archeologists work about it.
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Kick past-moderator Offline Posts: 4451 Finland	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #5 - Jul 10^th, 2021 at 10:23am That's amazing to hear! I can't wait to see what you have to say on it. Glad I rediscovered this now
Back to top	You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy "Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923 IP Logged

TOMBELAINE Funditor Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 741 france Gender:	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #6 - Jul 11^th, 2021 at 3:30am Of what I understood, on the same site, the archeologists have discovered : a fort on the river to protect from Viking invasions. the "village" of the age of bronze. a neolithic occupation. a paleolithic encampment. Today, it's an aggregate quarry. I find that absolutely crazy.
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Curious Aardvark

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Re: Sling Ambush
Reply #7 - Jul 14^th, 2021 at 12:19pm

are those chalk glandes ?

Also very interesting that they were glandes and not spheres.
http://itools.com/tool/google-translate-web-page-translator

Just post the links there.

Quote:

archaeologists have reached forty to eighty meters

.
lol and that's why archaeologists should always go and find an actual slinger whistle

So soaked chalk.
Interesting.

Do All things with Honour and Generosity: Regret Nothing, Envy None, Apologise Seldom and Bow your head to No One - works for me

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Hirtius

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Re: Sling Ambush
Reply #8 - Jul 15^th, 2021 at 11:20am

Curious Aardvark wrote on Jul 14^th, 2021 at 12:19pm:

are those chalk glandes ?

Also very interesting that they were glandes and not spheres.
http://itools.com/tool/google-translate-web-page-translator

Just post the links there.

Quote:

archaeologists have reached forty to eighty meters

.
lol and that's why archaeologists should always go and find an actual slinger whistle

So soaked chalk.
Interesting.

I wasn’t too surprised about the shape, the biconical shape has evolved independently in a number of places (Mediterranean, Oceania, West coast of North America, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, and this). That’s just what I know of off the top of my head
Who knows if there are more?

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TOMBELAINE Funditor Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 741 france Gender:	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #9 - Jul 16^th, 2021 at 8:25am Yes, this is chalk, Curious Aardvark. Hirtius, everything you can find on the Net is approximatively already quoted on this forum.
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TOMBELAINE Funditor Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 741 france Gender:	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #10 - Jul 16^th, 2021 at 8:29am This photo is very interesting.
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Curious Aardvark

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Re: Sling Ambush
Reply #11 - Jul 16^th, 2021 at 10:27am

Any idea what weight those chalk glandes are.
both dry and when soaked ?

Also, how long would a soaked chalk glande stay wet and heavy for ?

Would you need to launch the ambush from somewhere you had a supply of water. Or could you soak them in the morning and still use them wet in the afternoon and evening ?

That's the sort of thing archaeologists should be finding out

Anyone live near chalk downs or a chalk cliff ?
I don't think there's anything around the english midlands.
But would love to see how the above experiments work out.

It's been brought up on the forum before about unglazed clay being soaked before use.
Don't think anyone has done the weigh and soak experiments on that either.
Or if so i definitely missed it.

be interesting to know the ins and outs of using soaked ammo though.

Do All things with Honour and Generosity: Regret Nothing, Envy None, Apologise Seldom and Bow your head to No One - works for me

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TOMBELAINE Funditor Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 741 france Gender:	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #12 - Jul 20^th, 2021 at 3:19am I live two hours away and I haven't found the opportunity to go yet. Probably later. For the picture : there are two biconic : one with a neat finish and one with a raw appearance. and three egg-shapped : one with a neat finish and two with a raw appearance. All these slingstones were used and it's an important detail.
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Morphy Slinging.org Moderator Offline Checkmate Posts: 8102	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #13 - Jul 20^th, 2021 at 11:50am Wish we had stones around here that weighed enough to sling effectively but could still be easily shaped. We have tons of clay and virtually no stones. Im also curious as to how much they weigh in comparison to something like granite.
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Curious Aardvark Forum Moderation Offline Taller than the average Dwarf Posts: 13965 Midlands England Gender:	Re: Sling Ambush Reply #14 - Jul 21^st, 2021 at 7:29am Try making some unglazed fired glandes Morphy, and see if you can soak some weight into them. Harden them off in a normal oven or BBQ. Our ancestors would most likely have put them in a fire, not an actual kiln. So shouldn't need real high temperature curing.
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