Arab archery

Arab archery is the traditional style of archery practiced by the Arab peoples of the Middle East and North Africa from ancient to modern times.

Release Style

The style of Arab archery described in the extant texts (all of which date long after the Mongol conquests and the widespread use of Turkish Mamluk slaves as soldiers) is similar to the styles used by Mongol and Turkish archers, drawing with a thumb draw and using a thumb ring to protect the right thumb.[1][2]

Arab Archery History

In 70 CE the town of Emesa (modern-day Homs, some 160 kilometers north of Damascus) sent archers to aid the Roman siege of Jerusalem. Hadrian knew Syria, having first visited in 117 and again in 123, shortly after his visit to Britannia. A Headstone of a Syrian archer was found along Hadrian's Wall, and dates from the 2nd century Common Era, when 200 Syrian archers were sent to reinforce the 8,000 Roman soldiers. The tombstone is now displayed at the Great North Museum: Hancock. Field archaeologist Mike Bishop, however, contends that everyone hunted, and the primary value of the Syrian archers was tactical—on the battlefield. Their bows, he explains, were Composite bows (also called “recurved”), capable of longer range than common longbows. “Correct and effective use of the composite bow,” Bishop adds, “took a lifetime to master, so Eastern recruits were essential.”[3]

Arab archers used composite bows from foot, horse, and camel, to good effect from the 7th century.[4]

Arabs used different kinds of arrows, arrow heads, and shafts. "Arab archers used spindle shaped arrows for incendiary purposes. These were formed from a series of hollow tubes, the ends of which were closed, the interiors 'as hollow as the spindles women use'. There was a cylindrical extension into which the head was fixed. The combustible material consisted of chopped straw and cotton soaked in molten tar and formed into pellets. These were stuffed into the tubes and set on fire before being shot. An alternative and vastly more sophisticated version involved otter-fat wax, black sulfur, Bdellium gum (similar to Myrrh), pith of fresh cherry seeds, coconut milk, sap of wild figs, and a piece of quick lime. This unlikely mixture was ground together, kneaded with oil of Balsam, rolled into small pellets and dried. Before being shot, it was sprinkled with black sulfur. Seemingly it wasn't lit until being sent on its way. The entry ends, "being shot from a powerful bow, as it travels through the air it spontaneously bursts into flame." The writer is understandably skeptical of the claim, however, adding al-Tabai (a learned Arab judge) has declared this to be true, and has been practiced by an expert in Egypt."[5]

Archery in Islam

Prophet Muhammad was quite good with a bow, and appreciated the benefits of archery in sports and warfare. A recurved bow made of bamboo, and ascribed to Muhammad, is held in the Sacred Relics (Topkapı Palace) in the Chamber of the Sacred Relics in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul.[6]

There are several comments by Muhammad concerning archery in the Hadith. Umm Salama told of Muhammed coming upon two groups practicing archery, and he praised them.[7]

Malik ibn Anas spoke about when at the battle of Uhud, the troops left Muhammad behind, where the archer, Abu Talhah, remained behind and protected the Prophet with his shield.[8]

Uqbah ibn Amir relates how Muhammad said that archery shooting was more dear to him than riding.[9]

The Prophet owned six bows: az-Zawra’, ar-Rauha’, as-Safra’, al-Bayda’, al-Katum – which was broken during the battle of Battle of Uhud, and was taken by Qatadah bin an-Nu’man – and as-Saddad. The Prophet had a quiver called al-Kafur, and a strap for it made from tanned skin, as well as three silver circular rings, a buckle, and an edge made of silver. According to a medieval Sunni scholar, "We should mention that Ibn Taymiyyah said that there are no authentic narrations that the Prophet ever wore a strap around his waist."[10]

Camel archers

Camel archers are marksmen wielding bows mounted on camels. Most commonly they are considered a part and form of Arab archery. They took their popularity in the Crusades, used in Arabia, Asian and Eurasian countries. Saladin, the leader of Arabia from 1174 to 1193, was known, or rather believed to use camels as a substitute for other ways of transport, such as the more common horse.

Camels stand higher than horses, and are more resilient in desert warfare.[11] However, camels were often used as transport, and not as a platform for shooting. An account shows an Arab archer dismounting from his camel, and emptying his quiver on the ground before kneeling to shoot.[12]

Also, Darius III of Persia who ruled from 336 BC to 330 BC was known to counter Alexander the Great's attacks with camel mounted warriors. Although camel archers can be looked into deeply enough, many regions of the world who did have access to camels preferred to use the generally swifter and stronger horse archer.

The Old Testament shows how Joshua fought the Amalekites at Rephidim, who used camels for their archers. Gideon also fought against the Midianites and their camels during the time of the Judges.[13]

Arab Archery Today

There are a number of Arab Archery clubs and societies today. Some practice the traditional Arab archery, while others use Western styles of archery in sport competition and hunting. The main organization is FATA, or the "Fédération Arabe de Tir a L'Arc" of Lebanon, a member of the World Archery Federation. The Pan Arab Games usually have an archery competition, and the 12th Arab Games[14] in Qatar held in 2011 had 60 archers from nine Arab countries compete.

Archery in Iraq

US soldiers in Iraq teach archery to the local Boy Scouts, the sons of allied Iraqi soldiers. In 2008, the Michigan Longbow Association donated eight children's bows and 200 arrows. "The children loved it, and even the soldiers couldn't help but fling some arrows downrange. We even taught the first group of Iraqi kids to shoot for 45 minutes without an interpreter. We did quite well, popping many balloons and blown up surgical gloves."[15]

References
  1. Paterson, W. F. 1966. "The Archers of Islam." Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. Vol. 9, No. 1/2 (Nov., 1966), pp. 69-87.
  2. Marcelo Muller. "XLII. On thumb-tips and the various kind thereof, from: Arab Archery, by N.A. Faris and R.P. Elmer, 1945". archerylibrary.com.
  3. Cecil, Charles O. 2017. Hadrian's Syrians. Aramco World. August 2017.
  4. KUNSELMAN, DAVID E. 2007. ARAB-BYZANTINE WAR, 629-644 AD. Page 53.
  5. Soar, Hugh. 2018. "The Incendiary Arrow." Primitive Archer. Volume 26 (1), pages 18-20.
  6. "Sacred Relics". bilkent.edu.tr.
  7. Volume 4, Book 56, Number 710.
  8. Volume 5, Book 58, Number 156.
  9. Book 14, Number 2507.
  10. Abu Maryah. 2008. "Weapons of the Prophet Muhammad". February 20, 2008.
  11. Sassanian Elite Cavalry AD 224-642 by Kaveh Farrokh, Angus McBride. 2012. Osprey Press. Page 27.
  12. Rome's Enemies (5): The Desert Frontier. by David Nicolle. 1991. Osprey Publishing. Page 19.
  13. Muhammad: Islam’s First Great General. By Richard A. Gabriel. 2012. University of Oklahoma Press. Page 34.
  14. http://www.worldarchery.org/OTHEREVENTS/Others/2011/Doha-ArabGames/TabId/1124/ArtMID/1567/ArticleID/470/Successful-Archery-Competition-at-the-12th-Arab-Games-.aspx
  15. Gibson, Kieth. "Bagdad Beauty." Primitive Archer. Volume 17 (3). January-February 2009. Page17.

Bibliography

See also
  1. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzīyah, Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr. kitab ʻuniyat al-ṭullāb fī maʻrifat al-rāmī bil-nushshāb. [Cairo?]: [s.n.], 1932. OCLC: 643468400.
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