Mongolian bow depicted in "The grey goose wing"
While reading the "Grey goose wing" by E. G. Heath (1971, page. 65), I came across a picture of a, and I cite the undertext of the picture:
A well perserved corpse of a Mongolian warrior estimated to date back to the Yuan Dynasty (c. 1300) Discovered in a Chinghai Province in the lonely Tsaidam Basin. The extraordinary state of preservation was due to the dry and cold conditions, and the composite bow had survived more or less intact. There were also found eleven arrows whose steel heads were still razor sharp.
I can't find any mention of the find in the text, so I was wondering if anyone of you knew more about this bow or the find? It does look like the whole bow is preserved, even though it seems to have been drawn reversed as one horn laminate has lifted by the grip. It is strung backwards in the picture too.
The angles at both siyahs and grip looks to be quite low.
I'm not sure if I could post the picture as a cite?
A well perserved corpse of a Mongolian warrior estimated to date back to the Yuan Dynasty (c. 1300) Discovered in a Chinghai Province in the lonely Tsaidam Basin. The extraordinary state of preservation was due to the dry and cold conditions, and the composite bow had survived more or less intact. There were also found eleven arrows whose steel heads were still razor sharp.
I can't find any mention of the find in the text, so I was wondering if anyone of you knew more about this bow or the find? It does look like the whole bow is preserved, even though it seems to have been drawn reversed as one horn laminate has lifted by the grip. It is strung backwards in the picture too.
The angles at both siyahs and grip looks to be quite low.
I'm not sure if I could post the picture as a cite?
I know the picture and it was sourced from an article in the Hsinhua news agency, Peking (spelling at the time). The original reference that Heath used was in a Journal of the Society of Archery-Antiquaries, Vol. 3, 1960. The body had a wound on the back bound with a green silk bandage. He was wearing light armour.
There is a similar bow in a Wenwu article about Xinjiang Yuan Dynasty burials. The bow is shown as having a handle with two "V" splices and the siyahs looked as though they were heat bent. There were drawings and photographs. I have photocopies somewhere. I do not think it is the same excavation, but it is certainly similar.
There is a similar bow in a Wenwu article about Xinjiang Yuan Dynasty burials. The bow is shown as having a handle with two "V" splices and the siyahs looked as though they were heat bent. There were drawings and photographs. I have photocopies somewhere. I do not think it is the same excavation, but it is certainly similar.
In Barkol Museum (Barkol County, Xinjiang), Hami Museum (Hami City, Xinjiang), as well as Turfan Museum (Turfan City, Xinjiang), you will find many complete bows, quivers and arrows, which were excavated as suits of the archery ware of the standardization, in the Song & Yuan Dynastic Period.
Serindia; Show us your pictures. -j-
Sorry, according to the rule, I couldn't display some resources, which are not published formally yet, though they are collection of the exhibition of the state museum. That is to say, I can take photo, and use it as the private research only.jack farrell wrote:
Serindia; Show us your pictures. -j-
The archery ware, I mentioned, are not published as the report yet. What a pity! The possible legal way is to ask the permission of the collaborating investigation, then, publish it in the formal archaeological journal. In this case, we could share the information. That's why, I kept the resource of the mural of the mounted archery of Western Han Dynasty in Xi'an for several years, and didn't put them here, though excavators are my tutors and classmates.
If the fellow really interests about them, I will offer the collaboration research to the relative institutions.
The situation of the intellectual property is hard in China. But, hence, we should try our best.
Serindia, we have the same rules here in Norway, but there is no prohibition as to publish pictures taken from exhibitions in museums, as long as there is no commercial interest/economical benefit to it. It is another story when it comes to pictures of artefacts from the museum magazine however.
Bede, thanks for the reference. I will see if I can get a copy of the 1960 issue.
Bede, thanks for the reference. I will see if I can get a copy of the 1960 issue.
Bede, Does the Wenwu Yuan bow have a ridged siyah with horn belly, or is it an earlier "angled" siyah? I am interested in finding out if the bow was an early example of the Turkish construction.
Kviljo, there is only a very brief mention of the Tsaidam bow in JSAA No 3, with no more information than has already been given.
Kviljo, there is only a very brief mention of the Tsaidam bow in JSAA No 3, with no more information than has already been given.