Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Painting of an Ottoman archer on horseback

Ottoman archer on horseback

Archery competitions were very popular in the Islamic Empire. You could sign up for an archery class through your local community center or college. Or you could try to find a volunteer from a local archery club to bring in some bows and arrows and do a demonstration.

If you are at home and don’t have access to these resources, try making your own bows and arrows out of wood and string. What makes your bow shoot farther? What makes the bow weaker? Is it different if you use a short bow like the one in this picture? Does it matter if the ends are bent back to make a double bow?

Other activities:

*Chess
*Archery
*Bicycle polo

Bibliography and further reading about bows and arrows:

More medieval Islam projects
Games people played in the Islamic Empire
Quatr.us home