History of Ancient Bows of Arabia
Channel: Historical Weapons
Date: 30/11/2022

Today in Historical Archery, we will look at Arab Bows, specifically from the Neolithic era to the Muslim conquests of the 7th century. Collaboration with Al Mubarizun Archery about ancient Arab archery https://www.youtube.com/@almubarizunarchery4607
الأقواس العربية القديمة
Much of what is online today focuses on the later Arab bows after these conquests, and such archery content deserves its own videos. However, this video will go back to the ancient roots of the Arab bow 

There is evidence that human habitation in the Arabian Peninsula dates back to about 125,000 years ago.[47] A 2011 study found that the first modern humans to spread east across Asia left Africa about 75,000 years ago across the  strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula,  connecting the Horn of Africa and Arabia

In the Neolithic period, there were cultures in the arabian penisula such as Al-Magar,  in modern-day southwestern Najd .
The culture is characterized as being one of the world's first to involve the widespread domestication of animals, particularly the horse, during the Neolithic period.
Aside from horses, animals such as sheep, goats, dogs,  ostriches, falcons and fish were discovered in the form of stone statues and rock engravings.
 
This is where we encounter the  rock engravings  dating back more than 8000 years, making them likely the earliest depictions of bows in the Arabian peninsula 

also look at the Excavation in Oman of miniature copper bows (900-600 bc).
it shows Bows with  recurved tips, its uncertain whether these bows would have been longbows or composites. 
These are miniature bows that are non-functional and made completely of copper.


Now lets look at assyrian reliefs 
Dated around 645-635 BCE
its a Scene showing Assyrian forces pursuing Arab raiders during the reign of Ashurbanipal, King of Assyria.
 it shows bows with deflexed tips without the reflex at the handle. This is one of the rare depictions of camel archers in history as well.

Now lets look at the sources from the Greek and Roman world. If you recall, I made a video about the Syrian Composite “Yrzi” bow. In a related article, bone siyah reinforcements similar to the Yrzi bow was dug up in uae.

While we don’t know for certain what the bow looked like for these bone reinforcements , the only example we have so far is the “Yrzi” Roman-Syrian bow, so perhaps the arab composite bow was similar to the Yrzi bow as is hypothesized in the article. Waele, A. D. (2005). Composite bows at ed-Dur (Umm al-Qaiwain, U.A.E.). ARABIAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND EPIGRAPHY, 16(2), 154-160.

 In 70 AD the town of Emesa (  160 kilometers north of Damascus) sent archers to aid the Roman siege of Jerusalem, with composite bows.
  There was even a Headstone of a Syrian archer  found along Hadrian's Wall in the british isles. Syrian units were also used to conquer parts of Arabia. There is a 1,000-strong camel unit called dromedarii, and it was established by Trajan in Syria. A small number of dromedarii is recorded in Dura-Europos in Roman Syria. Perhaps these camel units fought similar to their ancient ancestors with a mix of bow and melee weapons. They were likely successful against enemy horses, as horses are typically afraid of camels' scents.

 When it comes to Northern Arabians, we have sources showing some Nabataean auxilia used by the roman army. Remember the romans had conquests in parts of northwestern arabia along with areas in the levant. There is evidence that the romans occupied as far as Hegra, of Northwestern Arabia.  
  And earlier there are greek sources mentioning arab archers, such as Ir-rony-mos of Cardia
  
But when it comes to Southern Arabia, there are very few  sources left for us, especially when it comes to their archery equipment and techniques. What we can find however are some arrowheads that survived through time, that resemble similar designs to western arrowheads. Trade was common in this area so this  is no surprise 

in fact The volume of commerce between Rome and India via the Arabian Sea was huge since the conquest of Egypt by the Romans in 30 BC.

 according to the historian Strabo: 120 Roman vessels sailed every year from egypt and many times touched southern Arabia Felix on their travel to India, while doing the Spice Route.  






Now lets look at an artwork of 6th Century A.D from the Mozaic in Kayanos church in Mount Nebo in Jordan)

. 
 it depicts a nomad leading a camel, with a Long bow with deflex tips and likely reflex handle slung across his back, similar design to the neolithic arab bows, but with more detail.
 
#ArabArchery 
Music
Desert Caravan by
Aaron Kenny