Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire assimilated the Tatars, a confederation of Turkic tribes, in the 13th century. These Tatar tribes historically resided in the steppe lands of Eastern Anatolia (Turkey) and Eastern Europe, north of the Black Sea. The fusion of Mongol and Turkic tribes in this region came to be known as the Tartars. For centuries, these fierce nomads used the Crimean Tatar bow to subdue their neighbouring regions.
The Crimean Tatar bow shared many similarities with the Ottoman Turkish bow. Designed for efficiency and power, both bows were primarily used by cavalry. The main distinction between the Ottoman and Crimean Tatar bows was their size, with the latter typically being longer.
Geographically, Crimea is a large peninsula protruding into the Black Sea from the north. This area served as a crossroads and hub for numerous nomadic migrations throughout history. Turkic tribes followed the path of the Greeks, Goths, Huns, and Scythians through the lands north of the Black Sea. The Tatars, being nomadic pastoralists, harnessed the horse and bow to great effect, much like many other inhabitants of the steppe.
This bow is entirely handcrafted using multiple bow woods and protected with a thick layer of brown leather. You'll notice that this bow has limbs that are dramatically bent backwards at the siyah when unstrung, which allows the bow to release arrows at an extremely impressive speed. This this bow also benefits from a string bridge, keeping the string off the surface of the belly of the bow allowing for better stability and a reduction in vibration.
Design:
Reflex composite Horsebow
Materials:
Wood
Leather wrap
Measurements:
Total bow length: 52.3 inches (132.8cm)
Brace height:
~7 inches
Draw weight:
40lbs
Max draw length:
32 inches
Included:
Bow, string
Extra info:
Are you a beginner to archery/traditional shooting and not sure what else is needed to get started? Please find some initial guidance below. Or for more send us an email on info@saxon.co.nz.
1. Arrows - A bow would be useless without arrows to shoot with. For this bow we recommend either Carbon or Wooden arrows with feathers. Start with some basic arrows and practice very close to the target, focusing on improving your shooting technique. Once you're ready to take archery to the next level then it's time to consider calculating a) your draw length, b) picking the right arrow length, and c) selecting the right arrow spine, all of which we can advise on.
2. Arm protection - An armguard is a must. This sits on your opposite arm and protects your arm from bruising which can occur when the string slaps your arm after the arrow is released (trust us on this one!).
3. A quiver - Not a necessity, but useful. For storing your arrows and keeping them close when shooting. The most common type of quiver hangs off your belt/waist, but quivers that hang over your shoulder are also available.
4. Finger protection - Repeated pulling back of the string of a bow will strain and damage your finger. Archers will therefore use either a protective glove or a finger tab to protect their string pulling finger from injuries.
5. Hand protection - Traditional bows such as this one rely on the arrow resting on the side of the bow, and once in-flight the feather of the arrow can graze the fleshy part of your hand between your thumb and index finger. It is highly recommended to place a piece of leather here, or to use a dedicated hand guard/glove to avoid feather cuts.