Slings - archery?

West · Post by **West** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:47 pm

I don't know what the ATARN position on slings is, but I am interested in the woven slings used in Tibet. I don't know if you'd count them as "archery" equipment - they don't use a bow, and they don't shoot arrows. But they are very venerable missile weapons which are used in Asia and are actually very powerful. I was just curious as to whether anyone might have any information whatsoever regarding the use of slings in Asia.

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:11 pm

Sure, let's discuss slings.

I haven't come a cross the Tibetan ones. I trawled this on Google:
http://www.friendsoftibet.org/main/rangzenband.html

West · Post by **West** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 2:45 pm

The only photographs I've come across of Tibetan slings show slings woven in the same style as the rangzen band, that is to say, black and white, yak and sheep wool, with fairly large woven pockets. I am unsure as to whether the pockets on the slings are split or whole, but I believe they are whole pockets. They have several loops woven into them, and they often have a "cracker" tied to the end of the release cord - that is, a knotted cord with a deliberately frayed end, so it cracks like a whip, this being for herding yak and sheep. A sling, any sling, can be very powerful, quite easily. In the hands of a novice, a stone can go over 200 feet with ease, but the main problem is the steep learning curve. It is difficult to equip an army of slingers who need training, who haven't used the sling since they were young, but overall, the sling can be a useful weapon, because it is so portable. You can just fit it right into your pocket and pick ammunition from the ground. It's silent, and very long range - the longest distance shot on record is 477 metres.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:41 pm

I handled a Tibetan sling once at an antique fair. It had a woven rectangular pouch with a cord coming from each short side. One ended in a loop and the other with a knot with a frayed piece of cord. Due to the length and their lightness, I don't think you could crack them like a whip, but I didn't try it so I could be wrong.

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:12 am

Here's a reference, if you can find it:

The Tibet Journal, Autumn 2000 Vol. XXV No. 3. "The Sling and the Inflated Skin Boat in Tibet," Siegbert Hummel Trans. G. Vogliotti, p. 14

Publisher information at http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studie ... bjsub.html

West · Post by **West** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:50 pm

With a stone in the pouch, they are easily cracked like a whip when shot, I promise. I have made several Andean style slings, woven wool, and with the frayed end, they crack, loudly. You are right though - without a stone, they are too light to crack.

Romain · Post by **Romain** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:01 am

Stephen, could you attach a picture of one of these slings ? For some unknown reason, I can't connect to your friendsoftibet.org website from mainland China....

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:54 am

Actually, the thing illustrated on the website is not a sling: it's just a decorative armband that represents the sling. Not worth posting.

I'll put in an enquiry with Tibetan friends and see if I can get one, or at least a picture.

S.

taaigihk · Post by **taaigihk** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:05 am

Have you tried http://slinging.org ?

Also, there are two pictures of tibetan sling in use at this site:

http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/asian ... omads.html

West · Post by **West** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:55 pm

Slinging.org has, obviously, a lot of sling related information, but there is very little concerning slings in Tibet, or indeed, the whole of Asia.

sbartels · Post by **sbartels** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:39 pm

have you noticed this photo?

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:30 am

That looks like a photograph by Tolstoy in the 1940s which I believe is under copyright. There is film of this type event which was broadcast by the BBC. It shows the full horse achery demonstration.

sbartels · Post by **sbartels** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:31 pm

Its from the same site the sling photos came from. Should I delete it or just post the link, then?
Can you tell us some more about that archery demonstration?
Pleaaaase?

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:50 pm

Several years ago I traced the origin of the film used in the video. I think it was taken by Lowell Thomas in the late 1930s or early 1940s. It was in colour and showed three horsemen shooting at two consecutive targets. They shot at the first one with their guns and, after slinging them over their shoulders, took out their bows and shot at the next target.

The video was about Tibet and narrated by Harrer, the mountaineer.

A section on standing archery was also included using a Qing, cloth, hanging target with a suspended disk. The bows looked Chinese and were longer than the horse archers' equipment. The draw was a variation of the Mediterranean and the arrows looked like whistling arrows.

Alam ed Din, Adnan · Post by **Alam ed Din, Adnan** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:48 pm

I have a book of H.Harrer that shows related photo's.According to what my book said, those medieval uniforms & some of the weapons where taken from the corpses of a muslim army that tried to invade Tibet century's ago, they froze to death in a snow storm on their way to Lhasa.Once in a year this
artefacts where taken out in a parade to remember that event......
http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/asian ... mArmy.html
This page has some pics of this muslim army(?)armour (horseback) plus some pics of tibetan trad. armour...

Slings - archery?

Slings - archery?

photos of archers as well

OOOPS

Photo of tibetan archer...