Self-bows in Mongolia?
Hi all,
I only have one or two questions regarding Mongolian archery, however, I didn?t find a way to ask the question as guest, so I registered
Briefly, in a German history (not archery) forum the question came up whether Mongols of the middle-ages also used self-bows, and not only the composites. The question came up as there was a report in German TV about a Naadam somewhere in the Mongolian outback, where the some of the archers used self-bows. Now, in the Secret History of the Mongols there is a passage that describes the use of wooden bows by Tem?jin and his boyhood friend Jamuqa: ?""After that, in the spring, as they practised shooting with their firwood bows, Jamuqa split and stuck together the two horns of a two-year-old calf, bored holes in them, and gave this whistling arrow of his to Tem?jin" (ranslation by I. de Rachewiltz). At that time Tem?jin and Jamuqa were between 10 and 12 years old. I have been told that fir cannot be used for selfbows, however, the translator argues that the Mongolian word ?alanggir? designates a wooden bow made of ?toson qarghai?. This in turn designates only two kinds of trees, the dark-red fir (Abies sibirica) or the Japanese yew, which however is not found in Mongolia. Such bows are also known from the Geser Khan epic, which was written down in 1716.
So it seems that wooden bows have a long history in Mongolia, however, why did the Mongols use a wood that bowyers regard as inferior? Were these bows meant only for children and adolescents? Are there any Mongolian archers in this forum who have experience with modern wooden bows used in Mongolia or know bowyers in Mongolia that manufacture self-bows? Do they use fir?
I?m sorry for the many questions, but hope for replies!
I only have one or two questions regarding Mongolian archery, however, I didn?t find a way to ask the question as guest, so I registered
Briefly, in a German history (not archery) forum the question came up whether Mongols of the middle-ages also used self-bows, and not only the composites. The question came up as there was a report in German TV about a Naadam somewhere in the Mongolian outback, where the some of the archers used self-bows. Now, in the Secret History of the Mongols there is a passage that describes the use of wooden bows by Tem?jin and his boyhood friend Jamuqa: ?""After that, in the spring, as they practised shooting with their firwood bows, Jamuqa split and stuck together the two horns of a two-year-old calf, bored holes in them, and gave this whistling arrow of his to Tem?jin" (ranslation by I. de Rachewiltz). At that time Tem?jin and Jamuqa were between 10 and 12 years old. I have been told that fir cannot be used for selfbows, however, the translator argues that the Mongolian word ?alanggir? designates a wooden bow made of ?toson qarghai?. This in turn designates only two kinds of trees, the dark-red fir (Abies sibirica) or the Japanese yew, which however is not found in Mongolia. Such bows are also known from the Geser Khan epic, which was written down in 1716.
So it seems that wooden bows have a long history in Mongolia, however, why did the Mongols use a wood that bowyers regard as inferior? Were these bows meant only for children and adolescents? Are there any Mongolian archers in this forum who have experience with modern wooden bows used in Mongolia or know bowyers in Mongolia that manufacture self-bows? Do they use fir?
I?m sorry for the many questions, but hope for replies!
It is quite logical to assume that self-bows were used in some circumstances in Mongolia. Temuchin was not well off through most of his childhood and it would be reasonable that inexpensive bows were made from whatever material was available. In some areas, described in the Secret History, various types of trees were growing unlike on the open steppe. In a culture that made composite bows, laminated wood bows or sinew backed wood bows would not be hard to make. The Chinese made sinew backed bamboo bows for practise as late as the twentieth century. Since bamboo doesn't grow in Mongolia, it is possible a similar technology developed for different types of wood. The Koreans made wood bellied composite bows as well. Usually the reason was cost.
However, the bows children make for themselves are not necessarily indicative one the mature archery of their culture. The choice of wood may have been restricted to what was available and to the tools they could use to work it. Working with a knife and an axe also can slow down your experiments as a pre-teen bowyer.
There were no shops to buy bows, so bows would either be bartered for, made locally, be given as gifts or stolen. Undoubtedly, when his father was alive, there was a possibility that Temuchin might have been given a fine bow by his father or a vassal. There are surviving Turkish bows that were made for children.
However, the bows children make for themselves are not necessarily indicative one the mature archery of their culture. The choice of wood may have been restricted to what was available and to the tools they could use to work it. Working with a knife and an axe also can slow down your experiments as a pre-teen bowyer.
There were no shops to buy bows, so bows would either be bartered for, made locally, be given as gifts or stolen. Undoubtedly, when his father was alive, there was a possibility that Temuchin might have been given a fine bow by his father or a vassal. There are surviving Turkish bows that were made for children.
A mongolian friend once told me that in the western part of the country (twd Tuva) there is a tradition of selfbows made from willow but I cannot confirm that further.