The Sassanian ( Sassanid , Saasaani ) draw

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 7:13 pm

Hi everyone,

i Opened this Topic after Bede showed a very interesting photo, & also a sassanid plate shown by Uli, if you have any pics (specially closeups) of this draw please post & also discuss this technique, as soon as i get a camera i will post the pictures of my own hand on a very similar draw i know, but the arrow is held between 2 middle fingers......

Zarasp

ps. may i ask Bede to show the special leather guard, which is an Iranian style.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 1:47 am

Zarasp,
I based this tab on the silver plates. It is for the two middle fingers and has the straps crossing over on the back of the hand. I made it with a tab, but you could also make it with two fingers in leather and even put little thimbles on the end to protect the finger tips.

My experience with this type of tab is that it allows you to easily take of the reins of your horse or hold a sword without taking it off. You can shoot with it on either side of the bow. If you shoot on the right hand side of the bow, you need to steady the arrow with the right index finger (please reverse this for left handed archers). It is easier for regular thumb ring archers to aim when the arrow is on the right side of the bow because they are used to it. Likewise, a three fingered archer will be comfortable shooting on the left side. This draw does not prejudice one type of shooting over the other.

To make it I folded a piece of leather in the middle and sewed it so that a channel was left for the strap. The strap was a strip of deer skin with a buckle at one end. I threaded through a metal concho, then through the tab and then back through the concho. The strap is buckled on the inside of the wrist. It needs no other fittings to stay in place and does not fall off. The tab can be folded into the palm of the hand when not shooting.

Because the tendons controlling the two middle fingers are used to working together, I feel that the release is smoother than a three fingered release or a two fingered release using the index and middle fingers.

Even the Taq-i Bustan reliefs show the index finger extended in this draw. The little finger is curled up and this is a problem I had with heavy bows. Holding the little finger out straight was the most difficult part of this draw.

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 6:59 pm

I made this guard and used it today, i used a leather nose band from horse tack and a square leather piece,

this great little piece saves your skin and does not move on fast horse moves, the best part is that using it with draw of 2 middle fingers not only does not get in the way but makes the release smoother.

i suggest it to anyone who uses left side draw on horse!

Thanks Bede.

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:38 pm

Here are some Pictures of Belt Tirkash method i know, please note the 2 variations & movement of the fingers while drawing.

advice is appreciated.

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:40 pm

.....

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:34 pm

And here is the form i was taught to use with back Tirkash.

jbl · Post by **jbl** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 2:40 am

Very interesting thanks for the post.

Uli · Post by **Uli** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:06 am

Interesting technique.
Do you place the arrow to the left or right of the grip ?

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:32 am

ULI.Always left side, with index finger extended, the index finger even holds the arrow when it falls from above, in back quiver method.

& i forgot to mention: maybe this is not the Sassanid method of drawing, this is what my grandfather taught me, i just put it here for comparison because i recently found out that it really looks like the Sassanid plates.
I would also like to hear the thoughts of experienced archers on this technique.

& Tirkash=Quiver, the second method is used only when the arrow is drawn from the back, 1st on from belt.

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:44 am

jbl wrote:Very interesting thanks for the post.

you are welcome, please let me know your experience if you try them.

Zoran Pavlovic · Post by **Zoran Pavlovic** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:29 am

Zarasp,
From my point of view second draw technique you use is almost same as from the scene of Peroz-Firuz in hunting from the Sassanide plate if it is not exactly this technique. After you started discussion and after Bede and you showed these techniques i think i will make it prevalent in my shooting.Will try.
Greetings

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:27 am

Following on from what Zarasp wrote, this is not the pure Sasanian technique. In that technique the two fingers would be below the arrow which gives a faster release. However, it is very interesting that his grandfather used this technique.

Zarasp,
Where did your grandfather come from and where were his ancestors from? Since a tirkash is usually a belt quiver in Iran (from the Sasanians to the Qajars), it might be that your family has preserved a rare technique that has died out elsewhere. I am aware that tirkash means quiver in general, but you see where I am leading.

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 4:25 pm

Bede wrote:Following on from what Zarasp wrote, this is not the pure Sasanian technique. In that technique the two fingers would be below the arrow which gives a faster release. However, it is very interesting that his grandfather used this technique.

Zarasp,
Where did your grandfather come from and where were his ancestors from? , it might be that your family has preserved a rare technique that has died out elsewhere.

He was from Zabol (or as we say Zara or Zra, meaning lake, this is also the reason for my name which he chose, Zrasp=horse owner from Zra),
i am not sure where his ancestors came from, i know they have been there for 3 generations before my father, before that i cannot say.

it is very true that they preserved old traditions, possibly for religious reasons.
Some of these old traditions I myself keep to this day, eg. the way of drinking water, burning fire,etc...

some more:
a.respecting the Fire.
b.giving one every 12 hunts, back to nature.
c.1st separation of male children from family at 5. .
d.belt ceremony, long hair & beard for men after 20.
e.Monthly ceremonies eg.shooting burning arrows in SADE ceremony.
etc.

Zarasp.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:15 am

Thanks Zarasp. I will have to look up my histories about Zabol.

Zarasp · Post by **Zarasp** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:17 am

Bede wrote:Thanks Zarasp. I will have to look up my histories about Zabol.

never thought that Archery would put me on this path but here are my recent findings....

today The county of Zabol city is caled SISTAN=land of Sakazi people.

the surname of the family was SWORRAN PAHLAW, which was changed in 1927, due to kings name: Pahlawi....

i also found out that The Name Shahne which i was wrongly taught to mean Horseman, actually means King-put...

they still keep the language of Pahlawi& religion of Zartosht... language & religion of Pre-Islamic Iran...

unfortunately for me these dots are too hard to connect... so if anyone has info on these names please let me know.

Sincerely
Zarasp.