Interesting Asiatic Bows in Russian Collections

[Andrew Hall]

JJ, in answer to an earlier post, here is a brief list of the main Hunnic and derived types. This is based mainly on Russian bone plate finds, with some additional info from the Xinjiang bows, so is limited to showing shows bows with bone reinforcements or ones buried in deserts.

Hunnic Period - 3rd C BC to 5th C AD:
* Classic Hunnic bow - large (60-65"), very asymmetric, with long bone grip side plates, gently curved siyah side plates and optional grip belly plate. Nice examples found at Niya. Note that the bow is widely called the Hunnic bow, and was used by the Xiongnu and Western Huns, but may not have been developed by them and continued in use well after the end of the Xiongnu empire (in its smaller Turkic form, until the 10th C).
* Version with no grip plates - rare in Central Asia but common form used by Roman auxiliaries so found across europe.
* Very wide-limbed more symmetrical type - Intact finds from Xinjiang - width may be desert adaptation. Other symmetrical plates from Kokel, but no evidence on limb widths.
By the end of this period, the bow sizes seem to have dropped to around 45-55". These shorter types are seen in the Sassanian plates (which I believe are mostly 5th-7th C).

Ancient Turkic Period - 6th C - 10th C
An explosion of different versions of the Hunnic bow, most seemingly used in parallel. Rarely enough information to be able to link these types to specific tribal groups or cultures. All variants shorter than early Hunnic bows, start to drop bone plates. Main types:
* Continuation of smaller variant of Hunnic bow with same number of plates - smaller but still asymmetric.
* Variant with grip side plates with no siyah plates. Thought to be symmetrical.
* Variant with grip belly plate only, no siyah plates. This plate evolved into the type used in the medieval Mongolian bow by increasing in length and expanding at the ends into the grip/limb fade.

Jack, I would have thought that the medieval Mongolian types (55-60"?) were shorter than the early Hunnic bow (60-65"+?), but slightly longer than the later ancient Turkic types. The early Hunnic bows with their length and bone siyah plates were probably not very efficient with lighter arrows. I would assume they was more for hitting hard at short range much like the Manchu/Qing bow. Although to counter this, there has been speculation that the Hunnic three-bladed heads were more aerodynamically efficient than the flat later types so better for longer ranges, but this could be an attempt to counter lack of bow efficiency for long range shooting.

Andrew

[jack farrell]

Andrew; thanks for that great analysis. Erudite as always.

If your last statement is a rhetorical question, all I can say is that we differed on the date of the Miran bows and the known Mongol Empire bows are less than ten, for comparison, and as I remember, one or more is over 60".

To all; The Silk Road foundation web site, in its current issue of its journal, available to view online, features a Xiongnu (their term) burial with bow remains. At the end it is stated that a more in depth article on the subject is forthcoming.

This is an excellent site to discover Central Asian ancient cultures. Hunns are surprising in their grave accouterments.

[Asafan]

Probably, it not news, but a bone plate on a belly allowed to use short plates of a horn. The ends of plates of strengthening of a belly rested against its ends. In some designs the emphasis was carried out and on poles of lateral plates of a handle.

[Andrew Hall]

Jack, on checking through my records I would like to revise my previous statement as there is more overlap in lengths than I thought. The intact early Hunnic bows range from 56 to 65" (I had missing the shorter Yingpan M19 bow), averaging roughly 61". Although the Mongolian/Yuan bows range from 55-60", most are at the upper end of the range. I don't know of any significantly over 60" in length though.

I would still expect the Hunnic bows to be worse performers with light arrows due to the tip mass, though the long siyahs and reflex probably stored a lot of energy.

The Miran bows are a puzzle, the siyahs show early constructional techniques and look quite Hunnic (although using horn rather than bone), but the grips are far from the typical Hunnic form. The lack of bone plates means that there are no other remains to compare against.

Asafan, the more reflexed form of the Mongolian bow can use surprisingly short strips of horn due to the long siyahs and bone plate. My Omnogov style bow (very similar to the reflexed Shiluustei sum bow) only uses 13" strips for a 54" bow. You need about 20" strips for a Turkish bow which is significantly shorter.

[Dusan]

There is litlle/big mechanical diferences, Andrew. This diferences was Turcic( very visible in Korean bow) advantage. WORKING KASAN "EYE" area . This is why you must working vith longer horn plate .
If you have working 1/3 or more kasan part and big reflex vith maximum litwayght material- you have ,more eficience bow. Evan if you shot vith heavier arrows.

I think , that old non working kasan endid in "mughal" period composite bow evolution . Tatar /Osman (Persian ) bows vith his long distance live brothers in Korea is new more efective variation

Maybe this weapon show us new war taktic ?

[jbl]

Thanks Andrew for the post GREAT STUFF.

[Dusan]

Interesting article from Dluznevskaya A.G. " Midlle asian horsearcher typologi IX-XII" . She working vith materials from about 160 open graves from 540 kurgans. Very detailed research for ex. arrovheads(all was 3 bladed) :








(But whu need more : http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... 0%26um%3D1)

[Dusan]

Some reconstruction based on archeological founds from North Kazachstan :

Kamik warrior from V.- VI c



Kimak bow plates and quiver IX - XI c



Old turcs V- VI c.



Turcic soldier VI - VII c



Kipchaks birch quiver

[Dusan]

Veri INTERESTING bone plates from old turcic kurgan ! Its from Chudiakov Yu.S. and Lchvagvasuren.Ch. work in "Zagal" territory in Mongol Altai. Probabli in BILGE KAGAN kurgan was found bone plates from siah and handle. Siahs plates are 12- 14 cm L and 2,5 cm w. Handle plates are 17 cm L , 3,3 cm w. Only fue similar plates was found in Saiano Altai KapchalII - Minusin territory and Iakonur north Altai , but only "Zagal" siahs plates have visible engraver lines for better sinew bond. Good material for reconstruction:



Most plates in this pic was from old Quiver :

[Dusan]

Dilgir Cireldordjev - new Buriats (Kalmik) old Kalmik composite bow reconstructor.





He do good job going to childrens "scouts" meetings and teach young generation kalmiks traditional archery.

[Dusan]

XII_XIII c. Mongol heavy warrior rec. vith found artifacts :





extraordinery big arrowheads. Comparison betveen mongol (a), kirgiz (b)and hun(c) :

[Dusan]

From A.I.Solovieva book "Siberian people armori" . This publication said what wood use Siberian Tribes for bow making :
Nanai - beech
Nivchi - ash, poplar,wilow
Tchilcha - every wood comes fromm sea
Ostiak - birch, pine





interesting use bow in hunting trap:

[Dusan]

Ladies and gentleman , bigest news todays search (maybe at all) ! Its from A.Lepeshko(Sasha) article Tozhe gorod site information about big archeological show in Museum of archelogy Moskva " Kuban tresures" (kuban is not Fidels Cuba , but territory in Ukraina)
Articla sayd that most of this things was first visible in Russia (same time in the world...) .Fantastic wel -preservedPolovets warrior vith his horse and full armored .
But most extraordinery oldest wel -preserved bow vith bone plates and sinew ever i see ! ( from Caucas cave )



Bow and quiver vith arrovs are from VIII c (!) Quiver is from wood .

Warrior helmet and oth. is from Dmitrovskaia kurgans No.1-4. Its Bulgar- Chazar IX c.


















Art rec. Polovets warrior vith all found things:

[Dusan]

Ermitage -Uzbekchan Pajca -Golden Horda , Iarlik -Timur Kutlug chan , and Thumbrings!






URL=http://img.janforman.com/Thumbring4qw9.jpg][/URL]

Budapest exposition :



Belehrad-Serbia :



Chazar kaganat :

URL=http://img.janforman.com/Chazarkaganat9rjv.jpg][/URL]

And winner is ... very interesting bow litlle like buriat bow (?) . Bow is shown in Pugatsev revolution corner... But looks great

[Bashqort]

Ermitage -Uzbekchan Pajca -Golden Horda , Iarlik -

this picture from museum in Almaty/Kazakhstan?