Bows and bow cases of Tien Shan population in the Mongol epoch

Purpose. A combination of wood, horn and sinew made a composite bow a more efficient ranged weapon suitable for shooting from horseback. In its classical form, it appeared in the Xiongnu period of Central Asian history. According to specialists, the bows of Xiongnu types served as the basis for further developments of all types of composite bows in the Asian steppes. Several bow fragments and a leather bow case have been found in Tien Shan nomadic burials of the Mongol Epoch. The purpose of the present paper is to systematize and analyze the findings. Results. According to archaeological data, three types of composite bows were used by Tien Shan nomads living in the Mongol Epoch. The first type is the bow with a paddle-shaped horn plate fixed to the belly side of the grip. The horn plate served to increase the elasticity of the limbs. These bows are called «Mongolian» due to the fact that they were widespread in Asian steppes during the Mongol expansion, although they had been extensively used in the second part of the 1 millennium AD by the population of Transbaikalia. Apparently the «Mongolian» bows were brought to Tien Shan by Mongol troops in the first part of the XIII century. Usually they were short in length and had flexible limbs, which made them more suitable for shooting from horseback. It is quite probable that they were reflexed, that is, curved in the opposite direction in the unstrung situation. No wooden parts of «Mongolian» bows have been discovered in nomadic burials of the Tien Shan. The second type is a bow with a wooden core consisting of two pieces joined together by «Y»-shaped joints, with a rectangular horn plate fixed to the back side of the grip. The third type is a bow with a wooden core of five pieces joined together by «Y»-shaped joints. The last two types of bows from Süttüü-Bulak burials give us a clear picture of wooden core medieval bows, which are not frequent in archaeological sites of the Tien Shan and other regions. They represent a typical wooden core of Asiatic composite bows known from the Xiongnu period, which have two flexible (limbs) and three rigid (grip, siyahs) zones. But in contrast to its Xiongu prototypes the siyahs of the Süttüü-Bulak’s bows might be slightly flexible, bent during the final part of their making. Presumably they had been used by Tien Shan nomads before the Mongol invasion, and due to their efficiency such bows remained in use during the Mongol Epoch as well. The difference in structure and length between the second and the third types of bows may indicate their various functions. The short one was more suitable for horseback shooting at close-range targets, while the longer one for long-range targets, for example, while hunting wild goats and deer, images of which are depicted in the medieval petroglyphs of the Tien Shan. A rare archaeological finding of a leather bow case was discovered at the Süttüü-Bulak cemetery. The bow case is a Y-shaped sheath, shaped to cover the lower half a strung bow. The front of it was decorated with floral and geometrical patterns. According to pictorial sources, bows with similar types of sheath were carried on the archer’s right hip, suspending from the archery belt. Three bone mounts of an archery belt were also discovered in the cemetery. Conclusion. We see that during the Mongol Epoch the Tien Shan nomads used different types of composite bows for different purposes. The first type appeared in Tien Shan during the Mongol expansion, while the second and third types were typical during the Xiongu Epoch. They were carried in leather sheaths, strung, so that they could be used quickly during battles or hunts.