Pebble Bow Archery Restarts in Beijing

bekN · Post by **bekN** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:24 pm

can these bow be modefied to shoot arrows ,using standard string, or that the max draw whight will not allow it?

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:29 am

bekN wrote:can these bow be modified to shoot arrows ,using standard string, or that the max draw weight will not allow it?

Although you can do informal experiments with different types of bow shooting pellets/arrows, the real pellet bow will not shoot arrows and a real arrow bow will do a poor job of shooting pellets. The pellet bow is designed for a shorter draw length. The strings are specially designed for shooting pellets. Pellet bows have to be symmetrical above and below the grip. For these reasons they are not suitable for shooting arrows.

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:09 am

Gail wrote:To: Stephen Shelby

Thank you for your response. Any additional information on ATARN that you may be able to direct me to, would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you again, Gail.

Looking through notes, I see that there is Arthur. G. Credland: "Pellet Bow in Europe and the East". Journal of the Society of Archer-Antiquaries, Vol. 18. 1975.

Dusan · Post by **Dusan** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:59 pm

Pebble bow in Tadjikistan. I read artickle in russian site about rusian tourist , who see in Tadjikistan village near Afganistan border , how old man shooting vith high virtuosity birds in your fruits garden vith strange tipe of bow -vith stones. Old man told him that its old tradition here , and some Afgans can shooting people cros the border river (about 80-100 m) vith this stone bows.

Dwanyin · Post by **Dwanyin** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:12 am

Pebble bow in a Ming dynasty painting:

Erlang and his soldiers driving out animal spirits
Former Title: Exorcising spirits from the mountains (搜山圖)
Chinese, Ming dynasty, 15th century
Unidentified artist
61 x 806 cm (24 x 317 5/16 in.)
Ink and color on silk.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Dwanyin · Post by **Dwanyin** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:07 am

Pebble bow in a Yuan dynasty painting:

A Ride in Spring 趙雍 <春遊圖>
Zhao Yong 1289-1360
National Palace Museum, Taipei.

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:52 am

I'm guessing that the pebble bows in the previous two pictures are unstrung.

Dwanyin · Post by **Dwanyin** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:08 am

The pebble bows may appear unstrung, but they seemed to be ready for use within the context of the paintings.

Here are some more paintings.

Yuan/Ming dynasty:

Dwanyin · Post by **Dwanyin** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:11 am

Another painting by Zhao Yong of the same subject:
Leisurely Rider with a Pebble Bow 趙雍 <挾彈遊騎圖>
Yuan Dynasty
109 x 46.3 cm
Palace Museum, Beijing.

Dwanyin · Post by **Dwanyin** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:27 am

Leisurely Riders <遊騎圖>
Tang dynasty
Unknown artist
22.7 x 94.8 cm
Palace Museum, Beijing.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:35 am

Aside from the obvious ones with strings in place, most of the others are strung too. Sometimes copyists miss the strings. These bows would come into the class of reflex/deflex construction which is the exact opposite to the deflex/reflex construction of the modern fibreglass composite. You see similar construction in some self bows where low string tension is intended at brace height. In those bows, the purpose is to keep a self bow strung for a long period without string follow.

I don't know what the advantage would be in stone bows. They seem to be laminated from two layers of bamboo at least.

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 2:49 am

Only the little boy in the upper pic has a pouch for carrying his ammo; a necessary piece of equipment for this sport. He has a pellet/pebble in hand ready to load and launch. The bow tips would seem backwards for a strung bow. The pouch is in a convenient location for quickly grabbing a pellet.

I wonder why three adults on horseback all wear red cloaks? is this part of a story?

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:12 am

I "found" this pellet bow in the Moschee-Magoki Attari Textile Museum in Bukhara, Uzbekistan last year. The label said early 18th Century. The cross section is round throughout, 1" greatest diameter, 56 1/2" nock to nock. Double string is twisted sinew or intestine. String is repaired with wire above.

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:16 am

Leather grip. The bow would appear to be upside down..

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:18 am

Sewn cloth pouch

Pebble Bow Archery Restarts in Beijing

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