History
It is a traditional sport that aims to shoot an iron-tipped arrow at a designated target using a bow, with specific stances, grips, and shooting techniques.
Traditional Turkish archery initially emerged as a means of survival, hunting, and self-defense, and later evolved into a sport with the development of specific techniques and rules in modern life. In the 15th century, archery fields were established specifically to train archers (kemankeş) for pedestrian archery and to organize sports competitions. The first competition in pedestrian archery was organized during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II (Fatih Sultan Mehmet). Between 1451 and 1481, during Mehmed II's time, rules for archery competitions were introduced, and competition fields were built for archery. During the Ottoman period, "Arrow Square Dervish Lodges" were also established for archery.
Range stones were created for the arrow shooting of the sultan, viziers, and dignitaries. The inscriptions on these range stones were prepared by renowned poets and written by famous calligraphers of the period. The words were carved into stone by stonemasons and brought to their final form. During this period, every archer aimed to make a record shot, which was celebrated by erecting a "Range (Engagement) Stone."
To ensure the sport was passed on to future generations, "Traditional Turkish Archery" was recorded by Turkey in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2019.
Rules
The first rule an archer should know in the sport of pedestrian archery is how to properly and accurately attach the bowstring to the bow. The archer's left foot must be forward, while the right foot must provide power from behind, with one step's distance between the two feet. The heel of the left foot should align with the sole of the right foot. The right hip should be moved back slightly until the waist is bent.
The next stage is holding the handle. There are several types of gripping the hilt: having the thumb and index finger separated from each other is known as Çengel-bâz. The index finger should be behind the handle of the bow. Another type of hilt grip is Kabza-yi Behrâmî. In this technique, the thumb grasps the bow handle tightly, and the fingers, inserted freely and obliquely from the thumb to the palm, are strengthened. Murebbe is where the index finger and thumb are side by side.
The archer must first look at the tip of the arrow. The thumb of the hand holding the beam should grasp the beam, and the index finger should be placed on the thumb for support. The other fingers are curled into the palm, and releasing the bowstring with two fingers is called 'latching'. The archer straightens their back and releases the arrow on the bowstring towards the target.
Archery is based on five basic techniques: bow, bowstring, arrow, zihgir, and thrower. The archer aims and shoots arrows by mastering these techniques.
