The Scythian-type bows from Yanghai (Shanshan)

Redhorse · Post by **Redhorse** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:29 pm

This is first version

paper.
I made a vector drawing of it, anybody want a copy?

Redhorse · Post by **Redhorse** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:34 pm

http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb304054/syt.odg
http://privat.bahnhof.se/wb304054/syt.jpg
Is the files. For the .odg you need openoffice. But then you can print it.

M??a · Post by **M??a** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:01 pm

very nice work Stephen

You are happy men for possibility to observ this bow. Du?an from Slovakia catch a dokument about mumies from Urumchi on Discovery last year. It seems, that mummy has scytian bow in gorytos. We spoke about it passionately. Is it Scytian, early Siberian Iron Age??? Only possibility for us was to buy book of Elizabeth Wayland Taylor " The Mummies from ?r?mchi".
Thank you very much.
Very interesting construction - quite simmilar as mediaval crossbow

Patrick Menzies · Post by **Patrick Menzies** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:17 pm

I did note the similarity to crossbow construction but couldn't locate a drawing I had of a crossbow to really compare the exact structure.

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:48 am

When you check out the books on the Xinjiang mummies, please remember that the various mummies scan a long historical period and numerous cultures. For example, my 'Khotan Bow' is also part of the Xinjiang mummy legacy, but reflects a proto-Xiongnu design. Even at Yanghai, we found several different bow designs.

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:53 am

I came upon this illustration that some might find helpful. Haven't had time to meet with the translator. From the book ETHNOGRAPHICA; Traditional Armaments of the Kazakhs.

redhawk · Post by **redhawk** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:16 am

The grooved plates on the left are adjusted at the belly sides of the bow?s recurves. I guess them to be a reinforcement of the recurve and to guide the string.
At the olon kurin gol- grave-site those plates were excavated, they were made of horn.

Michael

Dusan · Post by **Dusan** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:42 am

Michael is riht. 1 and 2 - end of bows from bone and horn, 5-3000 bc. Altay - wright in text.

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:44 pm

Dusan; 5 to three thousand? Should that be hundred? Can you translate all the text?

Dusan · Post by **Dusan** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:29 pm

You are right Jack, its 5-300 bc. Other text says: arowheads from Kazachstan -same 5-300 bc. Drawing Saka archer from Sakas art -same time. Saka warrior shooting from his bow-autor reconstruction.
I dont understand clearly this double BB. One B (in russian V) is Vek- Veka-century. Gleb can help us

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:15 am

redhawk wrote:The grooved plates on the left are adjusted at the belly sides of the bow?s recurves. I guess them to be a reinforcement of the recurve and to guide the string.
At the olon kurin gol- grave-site those plates were excavated, they were made of horn.

Michael

The two elements on the left are the string nocks at the bow tips.

Dusan · Post by **Dusan** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:22 am

Interesting that looks like korean tips.

Gleb · Post by **Gleb** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:46 pm

In the legend to the bows tips typed: "horn and bone bow tips, Altay, 5-3 centuries BC" (not 5000-3000 BC).

The double BB (with the dot immediately after) in Russian abbreviation system means plural of century - i.e. "centuries".

Dusan · Post by **Dusan** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:27 pm

I wrote same , Gleb only 2 B was problem, can you wrote mi in russian directly? Thank you.

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:09 pm

Remember this post? I wanted to keep the information here fresh for reference.

I bit the bullet and started on a Scythian bow made as authentically as I am now able to. The first step was making this bow form. Taking a picture of the Subexi bow which toured Germany (My favorite one of all), projected it to a piece of paper, layered plywood and cut out both belly and back curves, inverted from the drawing. The two sided form will allow to attach to either curve. A significant reflex was added to the original curve to negate having been buried while strung.

Agrimi Ibex, from Crete, sidewall material, as per Adam K., was heated directly over gas flame and bent to the exact form shape. Nock ends are about 5/16" square proceeding to 3/16 X 5/8" maximum depth. This is the best material available to me. My Ibex lacked the stature of the original so the horn "backbone" had to be made in 3 pieces.

My only goal is to remain authentic and not break the bow before it can be shot. Period.

The Scythian-type bows from Yanghai (Shanshan)

scythian bow............

Re: scythian bow............