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This is where we can exchange information on literary and artistic resources related to Asian traditional archery
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Justin Ma
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- Location: Bay Area, California, USA
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by Justin Ma » Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:01 am
A friend of mine took this picture during his trip to Iran. It's from the Chehel Sotoun in Isfahan (which was undergoing renovation at the time). The mural depicts a battle scene between the Ottomans and the Persians (Safavid Dynasty), roughly 17th century AD, I believe. It's pretty cool to see how how the artist depicted the equipment (short, Turkish and Persian style bows with amazing flexibility) and the technique (mounted shooting, thumb draw to the cheek).
My friend didn't record the caption. But I'd guess the folks with the pointed helmets and the long mustaches are Persian, and the other folks with the beards are Ottomans... based on the hypothesis that it would be weird for a Persian painting to prominently feature a Persian getting stabbed by an Ottoman.
It's also interesting to note the respective orientation of the Ottoman bow quiver (the opening facing backwards) and the Persian bow quiver (the opening facing forwards). I guess this is consistent with the customs of the day?
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hcspng
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 7:42 pm
- Location: Iran,Tehran
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by hcspng » Mon Oct 11, 2010 8:17 am
Yes Justin you are right.the long mustaches are Persian.most of men in Safavid period have long mustaches.
these are some repaired painting on palace ceiling and of course these are consistent with the customs of the day.
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daryush
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- Location: Nottingham, UK
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by daryush » Mon Oct 11, 2010 12:24 pm
I thought that was the Safavid battle against Mohammad Shaybani (Uzbeks) ...
Interesting about the quivers though, I hadn't noticed that detail.
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Stephen Selby
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by Stephen Selby » Tue Oct 12, 2010 1:58 am
I think it's to illustrate the trouble you can get into if you put your bow holster on the wrong-way-round.
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Bede
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by Bede » Fri Oct 15, 2010 5:37 am
The building was built by Shah Abbas II in the early 1640s. The painting commemorates incidents of the reign of Shah Isma'il I, in the early 1500s. Isma'il fought the Ottomans and the Uzbeks.
There is a court scene of a later Shah with surprising similar features in the same building.
The contemporary paintings (to when the wall painting was produced) show the bow cases facing either direction depending on convenience. The bow case is suspended by a single strap and can rotate. When you have just put the bow back in, it is likely the case is facing forward. It is often turned back to keep the bow out of the archer's way.
Bede
