persian hornbow, bow and arrow-case, shield
I?ve just finished my contribution to an exhibition in the "Historisches Museum der Pfalz" in the German town of Speyer. It starts tomorrow and will be closed at the 29th of October 2006.
Focus is the period of 550-330 in Persia, the time of the so-called "Ach?meniden", the time when Persia was a empire. It was Alexander the Great who finished it.
Based on some reliefs I had to reconstruct a hornbow, arrows, the bow- and arrow-case and a shield.
The bow is the smallest bow I?ve ever done. It measures 84cm in length, I made it of horn, mountain-maple and sinew-backing as a simple D-bow with duckhead-nocks. The grip and the ends of the limbs are wrapped with thin leather-strips. I was not allowed to paint the bow, cause there is no scientifical proof of the use of colour. I finished it with solved dammar and sandarac.
I was not ordered to reconstruct the bow shootable, but I couldn?t resist.
I drew this small bow till 20" with 39lbs, its a very fast bow but due to its shortness really difficult to shoot accurately.
The arrows are 22" long with a threeparted shaft: foreshaft of maple, bamboo and horn-nocks. Fletching is white goose(sinew-wrapped). Tips are made of bronze. I choosed a popular design of this period.
The case is based on a frame of wood and rawhide then covered with a kind of brain-tanned leather.
The shield is based on a wooden frame, covered with linen and tanned leather on its back and a kind of shingles or splittings of maple covered with linen and rawhide on its outside.
Michael
Focus is the period of 550-330 in Persia, the time of the so-called "Ach?meniden", the time when Persia was a empire. It was Alexander the Great who finished it.
Based on some reliefs I had to reconstruct a hornbow, arrows, the bow- and arrow-case and a shield.
The bow is the smallest bow I?ve ever done. It measures 84cm in length, I made it of horn, mountain-maple and sinew-backing as a simple D-bow with duckhead-nocks. The grip and the ends of the limbs are wrapped with thin leather-strips. I was not allowed to paint the bow, cause there is no scientifical proof of the use of colour. I finished it with solved dammar and sandarac.
I was not ordered to reconstruct the bow shootable, but I couldn?t resist.
I drew this small bow till 20" with 39lbs, its a very fast bow but due to its shortness really difficult to shoot accurately.
The arrows are 22" long with a threeparted shaft: foreshaft of maple, bamboo and horn-nocks. Fletching is white goose(sinew-wrapped). Tips are made of bronze. I choosed a popular design of this period.
The case is based on a frame of wood and rawhide then covered with a kind of brain-tanned leather.
The shield is based on a wooden frame, covered with linen and tanned leather on its back and a kind of shingles or splittings of maple covered with linen and rawhide on its outside.
Michael
sorry, the pics are to small!
Thats a good reason to visit the exhibition ;-)
You did a fine work!
:D :D
You did a fine work!
:D :D
Bravo Michael. What a great set. And the shield. Does the museum keep the set or is it yours? -j-
Don't those wall paintings at-I think Persepolis-indicate the bows are a goodly proportion of the height of a man? Even a short man is likely then to measure a bow more than 33".
MJuingong
MJuingong
The museum keeps the set, it is not mine.
The reconstruction of the bow is based on the reliefs and wall-paintings at Persepolis. The historians of the museum estimated the length of the bow
in proportion to the posted men. I didn?t mind, even though I know that a short bow is difficult to shoot accurately. I like short, very short bows.
To shoot them accurately, you really need your daily training with them.
Michael
The reconstruction of the bow is based on the reliefs and wall-paintings at Persepolis. The historians of the museum estimated the length of the bow
in proportion to the posted men. I didn?t mind, even though I know that a short bow is difficult to shoot accurately. I like short, very short bows.
To shoot them accurately, you really need your daily training with them.
Michael
Michael,
I have to agree. The bow you have constructed is closer in size to Western Scythian bow than ones shown in Persepolis. The trouser wearing cavalrymen are wearing large gorytoi and logic suggests that the bow would be Scythian in form, especially because the shape of the gorytus is deep and the cover seems to have a recurved bow end under it.
Your draw length and the bow length are consistent with what I would expect of a Scythian bow of the small type. I think that your bow might be better able to take the draw than the original.
The binding of the foreshafts on the arrows would have been sinew and not raised. Most ancient arrows had smooth transitions between the main shaft and the foreshaft. Unlike American Indian arrows and some African ones, they were meant to be drawn their whole length as seen in many reliefs, engraved gems (Achaemanid) and other art.
There are some exising bronzes that are thought to be gorytos fittings, where they were tied to the belt. I have not heard of a gorytus found in Iran yet.
However, this is all conjecture on my part. I doubt that I could make a bow half as well as you have done. Congratulations and keep up the good work.
I have to agree. The bow you have constructed is closer in size to Western Scythian bow than ones shown in Persepolis. The trouser wearing cavalrymen are wearing large gorytoi and logic suggests that the bow would be Scythian in form, especially because the shape of the gorytus is deep and the cover seems to have a recurved bow end under it.
Your draw length and the bow length are consistent with what I would expect of a Scythian bow of the small type. I think that your bow might be better able to take the draw than the original.
The binding of the foreshafts on the arrows would have been sinew and not raised. Most ancient arrows had smooth transitions between the main shaft and the foreshaft. Unlike American Indian arrows and some African ones, they were meant to be drawn their whole length as seen in many reliefs, engraved gems (Achaemanid) and other art.
There are some exising bronzes that are thought to be gorytos fittings, where they were tied to the belt. I have not heard of a gorytus found in Iran yet.
However, this is all conjecture on my part. I doubt that I could make a bow half as well as you have done. Congratulations and keep up the good work.
Bede,
I had to do arrows with sinew and leather-bindings. I prefer the sinew-binding.
The bow is based on a relief posting a man holding a strung D-shaped short bow. Maybe you are talking of another bow. I know that in these times in Persia the "scythian-designed" bow was popular.
I?ve the pics of the relief, but I don?t know to post them here cause they are sized in pdf.
Michael
I had to do arrows with sinew and leather-bindings. I prefer the sinew-binding.
The bow is based on a relief posting a man holding a strung D-shaped short bow. Maybe you are talking of another bow. I know that in these times in Persia the "scythian-designed" bow was popular.
I?ve the pics of the relief, but I don?t know to post them here cause they are sized in pdf.
Michael
Michael,
You are right about there being some short simple-arc bows depicted in Persepolis, but most are carried by robe-wearing Persians. It has been conjectured that these are wearing Elamite clothes and the trouser wearers are the Medes and Persians in their native dress.
As Susa, the glazed brick figures are robe-wearing and have longer bows and matching longer quivers. I have often thought that there might have been some shortening of weapons in the Persepolis reliefs in the manner of Roman weapons on Trajan's column. However, it might be the other way round. The Susan depictions could be showing enlarged weapons.
The Bisutun relief introduces another size of bow. However, it was designed to be seen from below.
The depictions of bows on engraved gems is very interesting because some are shown bending in simple curves and others are bending with more complex profiles. The problem is the multiple origins of these objects and the fact that they were never meant to exact copies of reality.
We all have to make guesses.
You are right about there being some short simple-arc bows depicted in Persepolis, but most are carried by robe-wearing Persians. It has been conjectured that these are wearing Elamite clothes and the trouser wearers are the Medes and Persians in their native dress.
As Susa, the glazed brick figures are robe-wearing and have longer bows and matching longer quivers. I have often thought that there might have been some shortening of weapons in the Persepolis reliefs in the manner of Roman weapons on Trajan's column. However, it might be the other way round. The Susan depictions could be showing enlarged weapons.
The Bisutun relief introduces another size of bow. However, it was designed to be seen from below.
The depictions of bows on engraved gems is very interesting because some are shown bending in simple curves and others are bending with more complex profiles. The problem is the multiple origins of these objects and the fact that they were never meant to exact copies of reality.
We all have to make guesses.
![[external image]](http://persia.org/Images/Iran/Shiraz/persepolis4.gif){kind=link}
Thank you Romain for the picture!
It is not the same relief, but the one you posted shows the same kind of bow-arrow-case and the same kind of bow.
What happened was, that I?ve have to make it like the historians of the museum interpreted the reliefs.
First I was in doubt if the bow and the case are one set. But the strung bow fits into the case. So when I see now your relief we could reach the conclusion that this D-type-hornbow and the case are one set?
I remember some pics posted by the ATARNO Uli the 20th of May in2006
(gemeral discussion, antique archery motifs). You can see there 2 kinds of bow of the same time of Persian history, a D-bow, and a more indo-persian-style hornbow. This D-bow seemed to be longer than the one I?ve just reproduced.
Michael
It is not the same relief, but the one you posted shows the same kind of bow-arrow-case and the same kind of bow.
What happened was, that I?ve have to make it like the historians of the museum interpreted the reliefs.
First I was in doubt if the bow and the case are one set. But the strung bow fits into the case. So when I see now your relief we could reach the conclusion that this D-type-hornbow and the case are one set?
I remember some pics posted by the ATARNO Uli the 20th of May in2006
(gemeral discussion, antique archery motifs). You can see there 2 kinds of bow of the same time of Persian history, a D-bow, and a more indo-persian-style hornbow. This D-bow seemed to be longer than the one I?ve just reproduced.
Michael
Michael,
Perhaps we should be more careful of the names we give bows in this discussion. Generally when you refer to a "D" bow in archery leterature you mean a simple arc bow like an English long bow. The Achaemenid Persian bows carried by the infantry were simple arc bows with strongly recurved ends.
Romain,
This was the kind of relief I was thinking of too. The bows are longer and so are the gorytoi, though the angle of the photograph makes it difficult to estimate the length of the gorytos in relation to the archer.
Most people think that the foot archers were using a variation of the standard Middle Eastern composite bow similar to the Egytptian triangualr composite, but without the angualar handle section. There are Babylonian steles with very similar bows, but without the strong recurves. This type of bow was used with long arrows and was very popular.
Outside of seal gems, there is little Achaemenid illustration of drawn bows or bows in the hands of gorytos wearers. Logic suggests they would be more like Scythian bows. When the Assyrians carried bows of the other type, they just stuck them into their back quivers. It looks like the Medes and Persians adopted the complete Scythian weapons kit including narrow bladed battle axes, akinakes and the gorytos.
Perhaps we should be more careful of the names we give bows in this discussion. Generally when you refer to a "D" bow in archery leterature you mean a simple arc bow like an English long bow. The Achaemenid Persian bows carried by the infantry were simple arc bows with strongly recurved ends.
Romain,
This was the kind of relief I was thinking of too. The bows are longer and so are the gorytoi, though the angle of the photograph makes it difficult to estimate the length of the gorytos in relation to the archer.
Most people think that the foot archers were using a variation of the standard Middle Eastern composite bow similar to the Egytptian triangualr composite, but without the angualar handle section. There are Babylonian steles with very similar bows, but without the strong recurves. This type of bow was used with long arrows and was very popular.
Outside of seal gems, there is little Achaemenid illustration of drawn bows or bows in the hands of gorytos wearers. Logic suggests they would be more like Scythian bows. When the Assyrians carried bows of the other type, they just stuck them into their back quivers. It looks like the Medes and Persians adopted the complete Scythian weapons kit including narrow bladed battle axes, akinakes and the gorytos.
Bede you are right. It is not the first time that I call this kind of bow D-bow. Maybe it makes sense to me, cause I mean a D-bow to be a bow with bending handle-section.
The majority of all the known reliefs and paintings dealing with Persian archery shows us "scythian-designed-bows", that?s true. It is the same with Greek archery, also the Greeks seemed to have used simple bows without recurves till they were persuaded by the Scythian bows.
Michael
The majority of all the known reliefs and paintings dealing with Persian archery shows us "scythian-designed-bows", that?s true. It is the same with Greek archery, also the Greeks seemed to have used simple bows without recurves till they were persuaded by the Scythian bows.
Michael
Michael,
There are some strange bows in Greek art that have recurved ends without a set back handle. Some authors think that they are recurved self bows. If you were using the short arrows the Greeks were fond of, you could make such a bow that would work effectively, something like American Indian bows.
There are some strange bows in Greek art that have recurved ends without a set back handle. Some authors think that they are recurved self bows. If you were using the short arrows the Greeks were fond of, you could make such a bow that would work effectively, something like American Indian bows.
Obviously this relief shows 2 types of archers :
type 1 : round hat, trousers, bow hidden in the gorytos
type 2 : cylindric hat, dress, quiver in the back and bow slung over shoulder.
Anyway, it's hard to tell how the bows in the gorytos look like...
type 1 : round hat, trousers, bow hidden in the gorytos
type 2 : cylindric hat, dress, quiver in the back and bow slung over shoulder.
Anyway, it's hard to tell how the bows in the gorytos look like...
he, I found a nice colored view :
[external image]
the legend says : Glazed brick wall relief from the palace of Artaxerxes II in Susa, capital of the Persian Empire
[external image]
![[external image]](http://www.greatcommission.com/berlin/60.jpg){kind=link}
the legend says : Glazed brick wall relief from the palace of Artaxerxes II in Susa, capital of the Persian Empire
a very nice picture, Romain
I guess it is possible to keep such a bow (unstrung) in this quiver. The bow seemed to be longer than the one I?ve reconstructed. This bow must have distinctive recurves, cause there is a relatively long string-contact.
Michael
I guess it is possible to keep such a bow (unstrung) in this quiver. The bow seemed to be longer than the one I?ve reconstructed. This bow must have distinctive recurves, cause there is a relatively long string-contact.
Michael