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Mongolian bows and arrows
History
Mongolian horn bow was the most advanced technology in its time of the 13th century when Chinggis Khaan created with his horseback army the biggest empire in the human history.
The core technology for making the Mongolian bow was the technique of mixing different materials to get an extraordinary strength. The core of the bow handle was made from Yangir’s (wild goat) horn and several layers of fiber from the bull muscle sinew were applied by glue on top of the horn. The glue was made by boiling fish skin for a long time. This combination of horn and muscle sinew makes the bow handle more strong and flexible. The outside skin of the bow was made from bark of a birch tree and painted for decorations.
The arrow was made from the elm tree’s wood and had a horn or metal head and bird’s feather wings.
The string consisted from 3 parts: the main part and 2 loops at the end of the main part. The main part of the string was made from the sinew fiber cord. The loops were made from an animal skin thong, mainly the skin from dead camels who did not survive the harsh spring hunger.
Making of arrows and bows
Our makers follow an ancient technology for producing arrows and bows.
Yangir horns lost in the mountains are collected each spring. Animal materials are obtained from nomadic families. The bark of birch trees is used for the handle’s skin and is painted by a regular paint. The arrows are made from elm trees and equipped with a horn head and feather wings. Big bird’s, such as eagles, feathers lost in the steppes are collected and used for this purpose.
Only the main part of the string’s core is not of natural origin and is made from a regular fishing line and is wrapped by knitting with a cotton thread.
Such bows are used by professional sportsmen in national competitions such as the archery of the Naadam Festival.
The strength of the bow is measured by kgs. An adult bow has about 25 – 30 kgs of strength and a child bow – 15 kgs.
The length of bow’s handle is approximately 150 cms for an adult bow and 120cms for a child bow.
The arrow’s total length is appr. 85 cms for an adult bow and 70 cms for a child bow.
Care and handling for bows and arrows
Storage:
Bows are stored laid with loose strings as shown on the photo. It is placed on 2 points inside a room without exposure to direct sunlight. During storage, bows need frequent and regular practicing.
Assembling and disassembling bow strings:
It needs 2 persons to assemble and disassemble the bow.
Assembling a bow
- Sit on the chair and position the bow on your knees and have the assisting person hold the loops of the bow’s string to prepare them ready for putting in the notch;
- Hold the bow by the two ends with both hands and push with your knee on the inside of the two curved-in parts of the bow;
- While continuing to push with your knee, pull the bow in with both hands 10 times to loosen the bow;
- While continuing to push with your knee, pull the bow in with both hands following the bow’s curve until the loops of the string get into the notch;
- Let the assisting person put the loops of the string into the notch;
- Your bow is now ready for shooting.
Disassembling a bow
- Pull and lessen the strings of the bow several times as if shooting the bow
- Sit on the chair and position the bow on your knees, hold the bow by the two ends with both hands and push with your knee on the inside of the two curved-in parts of the bow
- While continuing to push with your knee, pull the bow in with both hands until the string’s loops come out from the notch;
- While pulling, let the assisting person remove the strings.
Practicing bows
During storage, a bow needs practicing as often as possible, at least once per month.
To practice a bow, assemble the bow as described above and work it as if shooting but without arrows. Imitate shooting it at least 10 times per session.
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