Ut Armentum Balistari

The “Ut Armentur Balistari” takes life from the fourteenth-century when in Volterra the Contradas had the honor of providing the Municipality with their best shooters, to enter part of the Company to defend the city walls. The tournament takes place in two phases.

In the first phase, the two crossbowmen brought from each district compete in single combat, shooting their arrows at targets located at a distance of 36 meters from the shooting positions called “Bancacci”. The crossbowman who gets the best shot by aiming his rod on a center of just 3 cm in diameter passes the turn. Thus for each district the Crossbowman will be determined who will have the honor of becoming part of the Company of the City and who will be invested with the delivery of the red emblem cloth of the same.

Then the eight best shooters will compete by simultaneously shooting their arrows (verrette) in a single target called “Corniolo” or “Tasso”. This, formed by a flat target in the center of which is fixed a cone with a depth of about 45 cm, will receive the arrows of all the shooters. The one who performs the best shot will be nominated Prior of the Crossbowmen and awarded with the collar.