Determination of the Bow Winding Material’s Nature from the Burial Ground of the Scythian Time Saryg-Bulun (Central Tuva)

Abstract

The results of studying the bow-winding material from mound 2, burial 5, at the Saryg-Bulun burial ground (Central Tuva, Russia) of the Aldy-Bel culture dated to the end of the 7th–beginning of the 6th centuries BC are presented. According to the first publication and the assumptions of archaeologists, the winding could be of animal origin; however, in recent years, this argument has been challenged due to similar finds of plant origin. Studies using infrared (IR) spectroscopy and chromatography show that the winding material for the arms of the ancient bow was fish skin.