AN EVALUATION ON THE WHISTLING ARROWS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

Abstract

For a long time, bow and arrow played a leading role in wars. Although it is among the most primitive weapons, it never lost its importance until the middle of the 16th century. Some civilizations have constantly improved the bow and arrow, allowing their armies to rule for centuries. Sometimes the long range of arrows contributes greatly to the end of the battle without melee combat. An important part of the tools made in the Asian steppe life has been revealed by the instinct of attack or defence. Because the main goal in these difficult conditions is to survive. “Whistling arrows” have a great place in archery, which is the most effective weapon of this period. Communication among the ranks, guiding arrows of other warriors, and attempts to frighten the enemy was made possible by these arrows. This was very important because Turkish armies or troops were often much smaller in number than the armies of the surrounding nations. Especially the psychological effects of communication and terror could change the course of the war. In this article, archery, which has occupied a great place in Turkish martial art for a long time, has been mentioned. The structural and functional aspects of "whistling arrows", which made important contributions to warriors, have been examined in the literature and explained with explanations in the light of the information in the sources.