Ближний Восток и его соседи

g 190 h David Nicolle Crossbows 67–68. Crossbows were more widely used in several parts of the medieval Islamic world than is generally realised. They were used on foot, and in siege or naval war- fare, but also on horseback — not only for hunting but even in combat. During the later medieval period this was most notable in the Mamlūk Sultanate and the Amirate of Granada; crossbows featuring prominently in military manuals from both these states. Thus, the discovery of a significant number of crossbow staves and a huge number of crossbow bolts in Mamlūk or possibly Mamlūk archaeological contexts should come as no surprise. Mamlūk written texts, in particular, describe a variety of types and sizes of crossbow as well as crossbow staves made of a variety of materials. Some were specified as being more or less suitable for differing military or naval con- texts. Two 14th to late 15th or early 16th century crossbows from Granada survives with both their staves and stocks, but I am not aware of any comparably complete crossbows from the Middle East or eastern Islamic regions. Until recently, the best- known elements from such weapons from a Mamlūk context were two staves found in the Citadel of Damascus during the French mandate. They may have come from the same hoard which was recently rediscovered in a southern tower of the Citadel (T4), having almost certainly been redeposited — or more correctly dumped — there as unconsidered trash during the 1920s or 1930s. One of these massive staves is of composite construction (photo 68) and is about 172 cm long, while the other is about 223 cm long and is made from a sturdy length of bamboo or cane. As such it seems to be unique. Both crossbows should be described as siege weapons and certainly could not be handled by one man. If these weapons did indeed come from Tower 4, then they probably date from the early Mamlūk mid-13th to early 14th centuries. (Musée de l’Armée, Paris).