Fig. 9.—
The Turkish Thumb-ring. (Scale, half full size.)
In a Turkish bow the handle is in its exact centre of length, and the projecting point, or lip, of the thumb-ring engages the bow-string close to its centre.
For these reasons the bow is equally strained, each of its limbs doing its proper share of work in driving the arrow, an advantage that is very noticeable in flight-shooting, and would probably also be at the target. In the method of loosing used in modern times the bow-string lies across the three middle fingers, its outline, where the arrow is nocked on the string, taking the form of two angles connected by a straight line 2½ to 3 in. in length.
With the thumb-ring the bow-string is drawn back to one sharp angle close to the apex of which the nock of the arrow is fitted, so that every part of the string is utilised in driving the arrow. ([Fig. 12], p. 114.)
The ease with which a strong bow can be drawn with the thumb-ring, and the entire absence of any unpleasant strain on the thumb, is remarkable. This proves how effective the Oriental style of loosing a bow-string was, compared with the one now practised by European archers.
The ring was usually of ivory, its edges being round and smooth where they came in contact with the skin of the thumb.
A covering of soft leather was sometimes glued all over the sloping outer surface of the projecting lip of the ring.
The leather assisted the archer to hold the ring firmly with his forefinger, so that it could not slip under the strain of pulling back the bow-string. The projecting lip of the ring bestowed the leverage which enabled the archer to draw the bow-string of a powerful bow.