Composite Manchu-Mongolian bow from the collections of the Ethnographic museum of the peoples of Transbaikalia (Ulan-Ude): on the issue of weapons refit

Abstract

The subject of the study is a composite Manchu-Mongol bow identified and studied in detail during direct inspection from the collections of the Ethnographic Museum of the Peoples of Transbaikalia (Ulan-Ude). Based on a study of its morphological and design features, during a comparative analysis with similar products of imported and Buryat production, it was revealed that the item was redesigned during its use. Examples of this kind are quite rare and allow, based on the study of specific products, to draw conclusions about the possible reasons and methods for rearranging weapons to change their characteristics. Analysis of the context of application can significantly complement the understanding of this process. The novelty of the research is associated with the introduction into scientific circulation of a previously unpublished fully preserved composite bow. At the moment, such work is rare in russian weapons science. The analysis of specific weapons is important in the context of studying the military art of the peoples of Siberia and Central Asia, since in order to compile the most correct idea on this issue, a comprehensive study of the entire array of sources is necessary. An important component of the study was the analysis of the redesigned elements, and their interpretation is given. Based on a number of reasons, most likely the owner was trying to adapt the item to stable shooting with lighter arrows and to make it easier to care for. It is possible that some damage was repaired in this way. As a result of the refit the morphology and metrics of the functional zones of the product are closest to composite bows made in Transbaikalia.