Shooting at the Ok Meydanı

Sometimes things happen to you that would not occur in your wildest dreams. In my case it was to be invited to the opening of a new archery club on the site of the ancient Turkish flight archery fields of the Ok Meydanı or Place of the Arrow.

From May 26th to 31st, we were hosted by the Ok?ular Vakfı in cooperation with the Turkish Government and the traditional archers of Turkey. The finals were attended by the Prime Minister of Turkey, who also presented the prizes. The contests were both modern and traditional target shoots. The traditional contest was at 60 metres using a puta target as in Ottoman times. Many countries competed and there were about 33 foreign competitors in the traditional section.

Turkish hospitality was on display as was the growing enthusiasm for their archery heritage. Several of the archers went to the Military Museum where a collection of bows arrows and tools for making archery equipment were on display. This was my first opportunity to see full length Turkish target arrows since my own is for used with a siper and short. They looked built for heavy bows due to their diameter but were fully barrelled and had tiny points just like the puta arrow I have and others I have seen.

Metin Ataş took some archers around the suburb to see the original flight archery markers, tall pillars set up to record flight shots. Remarkably, many still had readable inscriptions. In one case a kind person let us come into his backyard to see a pillar standing next to the rear wall of his house.