An Indo-Persian Hornbow

Louis,
The crab bow is one type of Indo-Persian composite bow. I will make some measurements for you if someone does not have them already done.

In a crab bow, seven pieces for the core are about right and the tips of the siyahs are reinforced by horn inserts. The horn is applied in parallel strips. Sinew is laid on the belly as well as the back. The bending parts of the limbs are wide, the grip is narrow. The bows are reflexed strongly in manufacture but can open out in a shape like a [ when they are left strung for long periods.

Adam Karpowicz wrote a very informative article examining one such bow in the Journal of Archer-Antiquaries.

Most of the arrows I have that I believe were used with crab bows are between 27 and 28 inches in draw length.

So I want to build a 'crab bow', not any Indo-Persian Hornbow, Thank you Bede :D
I thougt of a bow like this : http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/grayso ... albow.shtm .
I also saw some pics from yokuha and Jaap Kopedryer.
I thought by crab bow?s the horn is out of one piece ( for one limb ).

What is the 'Journal of Archer-Antiquaries' ?

The Journal of the Society of Archer-Antiquaries is the official publication of the Society. Their website is http://www.societyofarcher-antiquaries.org/index.htm

You were still right. A crab bow is a type of Indo-Persian horn bow. There are supposed to be four main types. One of the others is the Chahar Kham or Sind bow.

The multiple strips of horn are the normal constructional method of Persian bows and bows from the Indian subcontinent. It is an ancient technique as can be seen from Stephen's Khotan bow.

The Grayson Collection has many superb Indo-Persian bows and an enormous collection of matching arrows. I photographed and measured some last year when I was there and intend to write an article this year.

Thank you Bede for the information. Now I know the Hornbelly is out of more pieces than one :D

Has got anyone some dimensions of a crab bow, so that I can build once ?
I read the bow is about 4.5 cm wide and about 130cm long.
I especially need dates about the width and the taper :)

Bye Louis

Eldoro

Not all Indian sub-continent bows used multiple strips.

The Pitt-Rivers museum in Oxford, England has three bows that have been sectioned, as well as a Chinese bow, they have an Iranian (Persian) bow and a North Indian (Crab?). The Iranian bow has the belly of the core quite rounded and covered in strips of horn. The North Indian bow has the belly of the core flat, with a single horn strip which does not span the full width. The edges are filled with sinew and sinew mixed with cement according to the exhibit label. I will try to do some sketches later.

I have also seen a stripped-down crab bow with a single horn strip for each limb.

Regards

Andrew

Andrew,
Measurements would be handy too. I have only seen multi-strip bows, but most bows I have seen are intact so sectioned or broken bows will give a better idea of the prevalence of the construction.

Personally, I would have thought that you would have made whole-horn bows where the horn was suitable and strip-horn bows from the left overs or where the horns were too narrow. However, until you mentioned the Pitt-Rivers bow I had no idea that there was evidence of whole-horn bows. Good work.

I have done a sketch of the cross-sections. Unfortunately, I cannot post it as I have exceeded my attachment limits.

Regards

Andrew

I have seen a crab bow cut into sections. The horn (one -piece) was very thin, no more than 1/8in and the sinew backing was very thick, about half of total thickness. Horn continued for about 3in up, beyond the bend. I actually made the bow, to follow original dimensions, but never got around to string it. There is so much trouble to bend the limbs to half circle (the string touches only the base of tips).

Adam

Andrew; Email me with an attachment and I will post for you. I have deleted some of my old attachments and freed up new allotment. My old allotment was only half used up. I guess that the more one uses origionally, the more space would be available? -j-

Andrew's post;

Below is a quick sketch of the cross section of the two bows. The photo I took is not very clear and I cannot see the joints between the layers of sinew or between the horn strips clearly. Note - sketches only - not to scale.

The Iranian bow is described as having a wooden core in two unequal parts. I have put a dashed line where I think the join may be after looking at the photo, but I may be mistaken - I would not like to make a bow with a join like that. Horn strips applied to the belly - the exact position of the strips cannot be judged from the photo so I have drawn the strips to roughly the size I think they are from the few joins I can see. It is quite possible that the strips are of unequal widths though. Two layers of sinew backing, then wrapped with a thin layer of sinew before covering with bark and lacquer.

The North Indian bow has the horn stopping some way from the edge of the limbs. The belly is built up with a longitudinal layer of sinew then sinew mixed with cement according to the label. Two layers of sinew on the back. Covered with a thin layer of reddish cement on back and belly, superimposed by a metallic film serving as a ground for the final lacquer coat according to the label.

I will see if the owner of the stripped-down bow has any photos or measurements to hand.

Jack, could you tell more exactly what you mean with cement and lacquer? These are common terms: there are a lot of different cements and lacquers. I guess it is almost not possible to determine it without a scientific analysis?

Michael

Hell, thats a nice bow..
Has anybody a picture of such a bow when strung and drawn ?

;-) Uli

Jack,
thanks for posting the image and comments.

Michael,
sorry, I have no further details other than what was on the exhibit label. There have been some articles written on bow finishes (for instance "Islamic Bow Finishes" by Adam Karpowicz in the 2004 JSAA), but I cannot recall seeing anything about cement in bowmaking.

Uli,
there are some 18th century illustrations from the "Hidayat al-rami" on the British Library site that show crab bows strung and drawn
http://www.imagesonline.bl.uk/britishli ... rtid=14075

Andrew

What about the Syhas, how were they build ?
And how long are the horninserts ?

Bye Louis

well.. here are 2 well-known pics that have been posted earlier.
It really looks to me like a bow one should try to reconstruct. ;-) Uli

I would also very much enjoy knowing exactly what the syiah construction of an Indo-Persian bow would be. I do know that the Nock was cut into the finished bow. One old bow which I examined had the entire tip made of horn, no wood, as something had eaten off the tip at the nock exposing only horn under the lacquer.

It would also be interesting to know if urushi lacquer, like that made in Japan was known in India during the period. One can only assume that cement refers to glue, hide or fish etc, as would be standard in composite construction. -j-

Jack,
Adam may correct me, but they used shellac based lacquer in India.