The Shepherd's Sling
The shepherd's sling is an ancient weapon that pre-dates written history. It was used extensively by animal herders around the Mediterranean Sea as a hunting weapon and an aid to deter predators. Today it enjoys popularity in the Spanish Balearic Islands where 'slinging' is a competitive sport.
The shepherd's sling is still widely used by animal herders in the Middle East, Palestine, Iran, Iraq and Israel and is probably most famous for being the legendary weapon used by David to kill the giant, Goliath in the Bible.
The sling is typically used to throw very basic ammunition such as a stone, clay, or lead ball. A sling has a small cradle or pouch in the middle of two lengths of cord. The ball or stone is placed in the pouch. The middle finger or thumb is placed through a loop on the end of one cord, and a knot at the end of the other cord is placed between the thumb and forefinger.
The shepherd sling is swung in an arc, and the knot released to allow the projectile to fly towards the target. It takes very little time to learn how to use a sling effectively but extreme accuracy only comes with practise!
The sling works by 'extending' the length of a human arm allowing stones to be thrown much farther and faster than they could be by hand. The velocity can be astounding!
The Barefoot Bushcraft Shepherd's Sling is made from carefully cut and shaped, extremely supple oiled leather that naturally folds around the projectile. The 'strings' are made from high quality para-cord for strength. These can be removed and used to make a bow drill, replacement boot laces or even a bow string. Versatility is everything!