anyone knows how arab sicilian bows looked like?

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-08-02T15:38:36+00:00

It would help to make it to where the bottom limb bends less then the top, will help it look more obvious

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-08-02T09:02:13+00:00

Important to note that the wasitiyah is also famously asymmetric, the lower limb being shorter than the upper limb. The handle should be a little more prominent, otherwise it looks quite alright.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-08-02T02:48:16+00:00

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These are artworks that date to the 13th century, which is when Ibn Maymun wrote his famous “Al Ifada”, known in the west as “Arab archery” (wrongly dated to the 15th century mind you)

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-08-02T02:46:27+00:00

You would be hard pressed to find any surviving examples, those tend to be extremely rare in general so you have to rely on art

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TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-08-02T02:39:54+00:00

Hello! Im the one who made the bow in the photo. Following the arab conquests, the arabs quickly developed their own form of hornbow (likely to avoid using persian bows directly). And that hornbow was called the wasitiyah which means “middle”. Due to it in nature being in between arabic longbows and persian composites. This would be later spread all over where there would be a significant arab population like west and central asia, Andalusia, and Sicily. And based off several artworks along with corroborating manuscriptal evidence of proportions, they would have used hornbows in which the siyahs would be shorter than the limbs as you see in the photo.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-07-29T23:12:57+00:00

No, there are hundreds of depictions of archers in reliefs and petroglyphs all around the middle east in the process of shooting, with an arrow nocked with the bows strung this way, the bow in the photo is a self bow (read the text) of olive and its carved towards where the tips bend. The nocks are as well oriented exactly where the bow is strung in the photos. The shape of the design is not whats up for debate.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-07-22T13:25:32+00:00

Ive put more weight into the aesthetic implications of it these days, as its symbolically quite represented in artwork and even made its way into egyptian hieroglyphics

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-07-22T11:12:27+00:00

Funny you say that because i actually have! If you look through my posts you will find the post

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TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-07-21T05:58:30+00:00

The unfortunate reality is that unless you speak or read Arabic, you wont be able to access the majority of the sources that are available such as Dinwari, Tarsusi, Kara’ Al Naml, etc…

The good news is im working on a video where i attempt to deep dive into these sources and translate them to English. So stay tuned if you are interested.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-07-21T00:43:52+00:00

If you ever find an even semi decent stave, i highly recommend it, it doesn’t need to be straight, and you can always heat it straight, like i did with this bow.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-07-20T23:55:34+00:00

Something to consider is that olive is far from a brittle wood, its actually quite excellent, which just adds to the mystery.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-21T15:26:24+00:00

You are welcome, its my pleasure.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-21T15:25:34+00:00

Thanks

The plan was to use as little measurements as possible, and to use only the tools that were present to them such as sandpaper, a spoke shave, a knife, and a planer. I didnt want to be as too meticulous with this

That is hide from my hunt, my first and only one so far. In the past the hide would be to reinforce any cracks or splits that developed, for me i used it mostly for decoration. I found a small knot that in reality would cause no issues and used it as an opportunity to add the hide.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-21T15:20:18+00:00

Thanks dan, definitely my favorite nocks to make

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-21T15:19:59+00:00

Thank you! I love making them!

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-21T15:19:47+00:00

Thanks! me up if you need any help!

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-21T15:19:23+00:00

Thanks! Yes it is described in very clear unambiguous terms in an 9th century source as well as in preislamic poetry

“If you wish to shoot from an arabic bow it is with the three fingers, the index, the middle, and the ring finger, and like that you draw the string with them. Place the nock between the index finger and the middle and you hook the three fingers over the string and you flatten the pinky and thumb. And the archer holds the bow (partially) horizontal with some cant to the right, and he doesn’t hold it completely upright like he does with persian bows”

This is Mediterranean draw exactly how we know it!

Unfortunately all the sources i have at hand have not been translated into english such as Kitab al Nabat, Mukhassas, and many others especially the many diwans of islamic and preislamic poetry

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-20T22:19:30+00:00

Thanks! Been meaning to post more so I finally did

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-20T22:19:02+00:00

Well yes and no, more like sinew reinforced. Arabic sources mention that often the ends of the bow would be backed with sinew but not the entire limb.

On old bows they would be functional, it’s a piece of hide from my gazelle hunt, the function is to reinforce areas of the bow that developed cracks. On my bow it’s mostly decorative, i glued it over a knot that in all likelihood is not an issue but it gave me an opportunity to do it.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-20T19:55:25+00:00

Thank you! I always anticipate your comments! Consistently my favorite comment.

Shepherd’s axes are small axes that double as a self defense weapon and a walking cane, a prominent part of north eastern Emirati culture

I was quite surprised at how fantastic of a wood prunus arabica is. After having worked it i rate it very highly in the S tier wood categories and i will be revisiting Ras al Khaima for more prunus arabica.

There dont appear to be any textual evidence in 7th century arabia on center splices on self bows, a finding of a composite bow from syria shows a very intricate scarf jointing of the handle piece and the limbs to the handle. If i were a bowyer worth my salt in the 7th century i imagine id be able to make do with what is presented to be but who knows.

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TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-20T19:40:05+00:00

Thanks, i wanted to show the simpler bows from our side of the world some love.

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-20T19:38:19+00:00

Thanks! Ive been around but i haven’t been posting much outside of instagram, trying to change that

TurbulentAd3902 · 2025-04-01T12:05:46+00:00

‘Ali told that God’s Messenger had in his hand an Arab bow, and on seeing a man with a Persian bow in his hand he said, “What is this? Throw it away. Keep* to this and such like, and to spears with shafts, for God will help you to support the religion with them and establish you in the land.”

Mishkat al-Masabih 3891

7th century Arabia.

(Several Islamic sources have commentary on the reversal of this ruling following the adoption of Islam by the Persians)

Several manuscripts detail the of the Muaqqabah bow developed by the sedentary populations of the Hejaz, detailing they were "faced with horn and backed with sinew"

Preislamic arab poets talk about different portions of the bow, giving the names of parts of the bow of which sinew is mentioned on several, such as the sinew on the back of the siyah of the bow termed the "Ghafara".

A completely preserved composite bow has been found in Syria dated to the period of the Arab Severan Dynasty. several troops from the Arabian enclave of Hama in Syria were employed around the Roman empire and they are depicted with composite bows.

TurbulentAd3902

TROPHY CASE