not for only battlefields,they were also an indispensible weapon in the Ottoman-Turkish Divan literature at the same time.
While a beautiful eyebrow is linkened to a beautiful bow,eyelashes would always represented that the arrow be stuck in the heart.
It was so effective that,if you look at it you will fall into an unfortunate catch.
While a beautiful eyebrow was compared to a perfect bow,did it contain symmetry?
For example,
could it be for an eyebrow that we can call as asymetrical,distorted but beautiful?
Althought this could not be the case for Divan literature but,i can easily say it can be much more beautiful in terms of Archery.
Come on,can it be? i seem to hear what you say :)
Can you say 'Ugly' for the the bow you can see the picture above?
If you pay attention to the axis line,there is a noticeable distortion or warping in the bow center axis even seen with the naked eye.
No,of course,
i think it would not be an exaggeration to say ''Real Beauty'' if we add the best performance to the bow as well as the bow above.
Because,the performance for a bow comes before the ornament of the bow and act as a sweet cream on the dessert and it doesn't give the same taste without a sweet cream.
The ornament will remain in the back ground compared to bow that sends the arrow to its target smooth and faster,i think
For the bow above,you can say ''That bow is bent with over time'' at the first look,i though so too,but later i realized that the situation was in other format.
There is a tendency for the arrow shaft to hit the arrow rest.This situation is generally experienced by all thumb ring archers and the wear in the rest is the another proof of this problem.
In todays bow,a windows is opened in the handle so that the arrow shaft does not hit the arrow pass-rest.Whether classic or compound,arrow is thrown through a similar cavity.
The aim is to send the arrow straight to the target without hitting the shaft anywhere because if it hits, the arrow changes direction and will lose some of its energy at the friction force of air,as it will travel toward the target by drawing a wide arc.
Archers and bowyers,on the other hand,have tried various shooting methods to prevent this in the throughout history and have produced some techniques such as Khatra and similar bow movements to the side ways etc.Yes,it is true that it accelerates the arrow,but the main purpose was not it.
The most acceptable wood working and shaping bow technique is that for today,everything is parallel and perpenducular to the geometric plane.
However,Turkish bowyers have created a unique solution by moving the bow limbs(Sal) out of the main axes.
Perhaps,the chief architect of unimaginable ranges and records was this bow shaping technique,who knows? :)
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| Difference at the bow center axis |
For a bow,the handle is the stronger part because it means you're trying to break it while you support and stretch it.So it does not bend with over time.
This photo,on the side is taken from Turkish Military Museum and i guess there is no need to describe ''The curvature'' in the bow.The most crucial point at the bow is the way the handle shaping method.
While the handle & rest are shaped obliquely towards the limbs,other side is shaped to the opposite side deliberately.
With this method,the bow string has been moved out of the handle-rest section as possible and a natural window on the handle was being made.
And this bow which has a natural window,could sent the arrows without hitting anywhere.
The processing technique was entirely the success of the Ottoman-Turkish bowyers and it was the medicine of the problem.
So,what have the other nations done about this problem,did they do something different?
Look at this bow above,very similar to the American indian bow is an African bow and a natural window is created by using similar method.The way of mind also is the same.Here are the some pictures related with our subject,
After all these findings,i wanted to try this technique at my own bows.
These bow pictures above is the first warped-curved Ottoman-Turkish bow (synthetic) replica made by me.I made many shots and i have not experienced any problem that the special shape can cause yet.
The degree of maximum curvature that can be given is also a matter of curiosity :)
Best Regards,
Mehmet A.Gölhan
While the handle & rest are shaped obliquely towards the limbs,other side is shaped to the opposite side deliberately.
With this method,the bow string has been moved out of the handle-rest section as possible and a natural window on the handle was being made.
And this bow which has a natural window,could sent the arrows without hitting anywhere.
The processing technique was entirely the success of the Ottoman-Turkish bowyers and it was the medicine of the problem.
So,what have the other nations done about this problem,did they do something different?
 |
Maravi Bow/Mozambique Source:quaibranly.fr |
Look at this bow above,very similar to the American indian bow is an African bow and a natural window is created by using similar method.The way of mind also is the same.Here are the some pictures related with our subject,
After all these findings,i wanted to try this technique at my own bows.
These bow pictures above is the first warped-curved Ottoman-Turkish bow (synthetic) replica made by me.I made many shots and i have not experienced any problem that the special shape can cause yet.
The degree of maximum curvature that can be given is also a matter of curiosity :)
Best Regards,
Mehmet A.Gölhan
