Turkish Ottoman Bows

What Is A Turkish Ottoman Bow?

The Turkish Ottoman bow was the formidable weapon of choice for the Ottoman warriors who established one of the greatest empires in history. It is a specific type of recurve bow that represented the pinnacle of Turkish archery craftsmanship.

The stand out feature for this bow is the C Recurve Shape With a protruding handle / riser.

What Material is Turkish Ottoman Bow Made From?

The Ottoman Turkish bows are typically constructed using a combination of carefully selected woods like maple, elm, ash, hornbeam, sophora, and other hardwoods. The limbs were crafted from strips of wood, animal horn, and sinew meticulously bound together.

Sometimes they are made from fiberglass and other modern day materials as well with leather handles and risers.

How is Turkish Bow Different From Traditional Recurve Bow?

Read: Turkish bow vs Mongol bow

Its construction followed the classic Asiatic composite design, utilizing:

• A wooden core, with maple being the preferred material
• Animal horn layered on the belly/inner side facing the archer
• Sinew on the outer front side
• All the layers were bound together with animal glue

However, the Turkish bow had several unique characteristics that set it apart:

1. Extreme Recurvature – When unstrung, the limbs curved dramatically forward into an exaggerated “C” shape recurve. On some bows, the rigid reinforced limb tips called “kasan” curved so extremely they touched each other.
2. Distinct Grip Geometry – Rather than a recessed grip area like other Asiatic bows, the Turkish grip was relatively flat on the belly side. Interestingly, the front of the grip actually bulged outwards.
3. Asymmetric Limb Design – The curves and lengths of the two limbs were purposefully asymmetric to accommodate the Turkish thumb draw archery technique.

So while utilizing the classic composite construction method, the extremely reflexed limb curvature, unique grip shape, and asymmetry gave the Turkish bow its distinctive look and optimized performance for Ottoman archery styles.

Ottoman Bow Draw Weight

Draw weights for Ottoman bows could range from a respectable 60 lbs all the way up to brutally heavy 150+ lb draw weights for the most elite warriors. Their composite construction packed incredible power and could penetrate light to medium armor.

For traditional archery enthusiasts of today, usually they are around 20-60 lbs range, thus anyone who is looking for actual heavy Turkish bows need to have it custom built.

Ottoman Bow Usual Sizes

Ottoman bows are often shorter in overall length compared to other types of bows. Traditional Turkish bows can range from about 44 inches to 52 inches in total length, with some variations falling outside this range.

The smaller compact sizes make it ideal for horse archery and especially during the times of the Ottoman Empire when they deployed the elite Sipahi cavalry.

How Far Can Turkish Bows Shoot?

In 1794, the Turkish ambassador’s secretary shot distances of 415 yards (379m) against the wind and 482 yards (440m) with the wind using a Turkish bow outside London.

Historical accounts mention pillars near Constantinople commemorating shots of 800 yards (731m) achieved in ancient times with Turkish bows and arrows.

At an 1910 archery contest, Ingo Simon shot 434m using an old Turkish composite bow with a very heavy 99 lb draw weight.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_archery

For enthusiasts, you can expect to reach 150 to 200 meters or around 220 yards with heavier Turkish bow draw weights.

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