Ближний Восток и его соседи

g 196 h David Nicolle 81. One tip of the Granada crossbow is sufficiently damaged for the shaped wooden core of the stave to be visible. (Archaeological Museum, Granada; author’s photograph). 82. The release mechanism of the Granada crossbow is damaged and most of the originally long trigger has broken off. The revolving release nut which would have sat within the rectangular opening on top of the stock is also missing. (Archaeological Museum, Granada; author’s photograph). 83. Perhaps because crossbow bolts are almost always shorter and thicker than were arrows for a hand-bow, unbroken examples have survived in greater numbers. They include these from a mid-13th to early 14th century hoard from Tower 4 of the Citadel of Damascus. They almost always have flat butts rather than fragile indented nocks. Though lacking its iron head or blade, the lower of the two bolts seen in this photograph is otherwise complete. Furthermore, both missiles have paper flights. The upper bolt has a plain, flat butt-end whereas the lower bolt has its butt shaped into a slender rectan- gle. This would have sat inside a slot in the revolving release nut, a system which made it less likely that the bolt could slip out of position before release. (Syrian Department of Antiquities; author’s photograph).