Arab Archery, an Arabic Manuscript of About A.D. 1500

This classic includes the following chapters: 


Preface 

I. In the Name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate 

II. On Holy War and the service of archery therein 

III. On the excellence of the Arab bow, its use, adoption, the reward of the maker of its arrows, its target, urging the mastery of its technique, the offence of him who discards it after he has learned its use, and the first to use and the first to make it 

IV. On the different kinds of bows and the most desirable of them 

V. On the names and nomenclatures of the Arab bows and their different parts 

VI. On the master archers 

VII. On the principles of loosing and the different schools therein 

VIII. Things the archer should know 

IX. How to determine the cast of the bow, its weight, and the limit of the archer’s strength in drawing 

X. On testing the bow before bracing 

XI. On bracing, which is the same as stringing 

XII. On the curvature of the bow after bracing 

XIII. On unstringing 

XIV. On picking up the bow and arrow preparatory to shooting and the manner of shooting 

XV. On the different draws and the manner of locking the thumb and the index finger on the string, and on the rules of arranging the index finger upon the thumb 

XVI. On how to hold the grip of the bow with the left hand 

XVII. On the clench 

XVIII. On drawing and its limits 

XIX. On aiming, which is the same as pointing at the target 

XX. On the loose or release 

XXI. On the passage of the arrow over the left hand 

XXII. On blisters and wounds on the index finger of the right hand caused by stringing, clenching, drawing and loosing, together with the remedies thereof 

XXIII. On the blow of the string on the archer’s right thumb, which causes it to turn black and blue on the inside and beneath the nail and sometimes results in breaking the nail; as well as on the blistering and bruising of the left thumb at the time of shooting, together with the remedies thereof 

XXIV. On the blow of the string on the forearm of the archer and the remedy thereof 

XXV. On the blow of the string on the chin of the archer, or on his ear, and the remedies thereof 

XXVI. When the tip of the bow hits the ground at the moment of loosing, and the remedy thereof 

XXVII. When the nock of the arrow breaks and the remedy thereof 

XXVIII. On causing the arrow to move on itself, or wag, in its flight 

XXIX. On the management of the arrow when shooting against the wind, et cetera, and on trying not to shoot it when a break is found after it has been fully drawn 

XXX. On how near or how far the target should be 

XXXI. On standing and sitting for aiming 

XXXII. On the variations in the length and construction of the Arab bow 

XXXIII. On strings; how to make them and how to form their eyes 

XXXIV. On the length and shortness of the string 

XXXV. On the thinness and thickness of the string and on how to choose the correct and appropriate size 

XXXVI. On the weight of the string in relation to the weight of the bow 

XXXVII. On the names of the various kinds of arrows and their different parts; and on the length of each kind, the desirable wood from which to make it, and the manner of its paring 

XXXVIII. On arrowheads; the different kinds, their various uses, how to fix them on the shaft; and the manner of cutting arrow-nocks 

XXXIX. On feathers and fletching 

XLI. On sundry points not yet mentioned concerning the competition bow, the description of its arrow, and the manner of its use, together with some of the tricks employed in competitions 

XLII. On thumb-tips and the various kind thereof 

XLIII. On shooting with the husban, dawdan, and ‘usfuri arrows through the hollow of a guide 

XLIV. On stunt shooting 

XLV. Targets and target practice 

XLVI. Quivers, belt, arrow picker, file 

Appendix