A summary of the history, construction and effects in warfare of the projectile-throwing engines of the ancients, with a treatise on the structure, power and management of Turkish and other Oriental bows of mediæval and later times

by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey

Fig. 4.—One of the Loops of hard and closely twisted Sinew which are knotted to each end of the middle part or skein of a Turkish bow-string.

Scale: Half full size.

I. A loop and its knot as first formed on one end of the skein of the bow-string.

II. The loop drawn up, but not tightened.

III. The loop drawn up tight and its loose ends secured.

As shown in III, the projecting ends of the length of sinew which forms the loop are cut off to within a third of an inch of the knot. They are singed at their extremities, so as to form small burrs which prevent the short length of strong silk, which lashes them together, from slipping off.

The ends of this last small lashing are placed beneath the wrapping of silk to be seen on the skein near the knot in III.

In this way the knot of the loop is rigidly secured against any chance of drawing when the bow is in use.

(The bow-strings of all Oriental bows, with the exception of the Tartar and Chinese, were made as above described.)