Mongol bow

The old Mongolian bows that were used during the times of Genghis Khan were smaller than the modern weapons used at most Naadam festivals today.

Over two hundred years of enforcement these changes stuck and the ancient art of Mongol bow making was nearly lost along with a majority of archery games and traditions.

The core is bamboo, with horn on the belly (facing towards the archer) and sinew on the back, bound together with animal glue.

[4][1] As animal glue is dissolved by water, composite bows may be ruined by rain or excess humidity; a wrapper of (waterproof) birch bark may give limited protection from moisture and from mechanical damage.

The Mongols characteristically pay close attention to the minutest details; the placement of the fletchings in relation to their size, and what part of the bird the feathers originate from, are of great importance for correct rotation and good balance in the air.

Arrowheads can be everything from wide metal blades used for big game (or in war) to bone and wooden points, which are used for hunting birds and small animals.

The high impact force of this bow ensures that a bony point will be lethal when hitting the body of a smaller animal.

This is traditional across the Asian steppes, as well as in Korea,[6] Japan, Tibet, China, Turkey, India and recent Persia.

This c. 1280 painting depicts an archer shooting a traditional Mongol bow from horseback.
Hulagu Khan with the older composite bow used during the time of the Mongol conquest. It is smaller in size and has no string bridges.
A Timurid depiction of a Mongol archer (Signed (lower right): Muhammad ibn Mahmudshah al-Khayyam, early 15th century).
Mongol cavalrymen during the time of the Mongol conquest used a smaller bow suitable for horse archery.
A right-handed Mongolian draw.