Archer's ring

The University of Oxford – under the supervision of Professor Francis Llewellyn Griffith – organized a series of expeditions to southern Egypt and northern Sudan in the early 20th century. Excavations were carried out between 1910–1913 and 1929–1931 on Nubian sites such as Faras.

Faras was flooded by Lake Nasser as part of Egypt’s public works program in 1964, and now remains submerged. During the New Kingdom, the site was an Egyptian administrative center. The Meroitic occupation was marked by a religious and palatial complex, and an immense necropolis, of which about 3000 graves have been excavated. However, the site is primarily known for its church, as the city was the capital of the Nobatia Kingdom during the Christian period.

Meroitic and post-Meroitic tombs are distinguished by their richness and the abundance of weapons, especially archery equipment. Archery played a significant role in ancient Nubia: Kushite warriors were reputed to excel as archers, so that ancient Egyptians called the region Ta-Seti, the "land of the bow."

While bows, quivers and arrows were part of the traditional archery equipment produced, used, and buried in ancient Sudan, thumb rings also become an important element of this arsenal from the Meroitic era. The ring fits over the end of the thumb, leaving the nail exposed. It provides the archer with a firmer grip of the bowstring and protects the inside of the thumb against injuries which are usually caused by the string when the latter is drawn and released.

In Sudanese Nubia, archer’s rings already existed in the Early Meroitic period, as illustrated by the bronze statue of a Meroitic king discovered at Tabo and now at the Sudan National Museum (SNM 24705). The king is represented as an archer wearing a ring on his right thumb and a brace on his left forearm. Archer’s rings are also illustrated in reliefs. Kushite architecture was embellished with many images of rulers celebrating the triumph of the empire over neighboring countries. This is a recurrent theme of Meroitic royal iconography, which multiplies representations of gods and sovereigns who are responsible for preserving the kingdom’s unity. To further specify the symbolic nature of this military and political charge, they are depicted with the attributes of combat. At Musawwarat es-Sufra, the god Apedemak figures on the Lion Temple wearing an archer ring on his right thumb (Curatorial Interpretation Fig. 1). Apedemak is often depicted as an archer: bow, quiver, arrow and ring are an integral part of his iconography suggesting his role as keeper of order. Due to these military attributes, he has often been called a warrior god, but his basic concern, in fact, was creation and earthly protection.

Based on this iconography, it is clear that Meroitic archer’s rings held a special place as a divine and royal accessory. They exist in large quantities and vary in their material – wood or stone –, their form, and their quality of execution. Thumb rings are cylindrical and large and can take many different shapes (truncated cone, flared, concave, or convex), some styles are short, and some are long. The wider part of the ring goes towards the proximal end of the thumb, giving the index finger something to press against for grip, and leaving the narrow part of the ring on the distal end of the thumb to ensure a smooth release. The hole in the rings was made by drilling, some ring holes still retain the ribs left during the manufacture of the object. The central perforation was created first, then the object was shaped and polished.

Study of Meroitic thumb rings demonstrates that they served at least three intertwined functions: practical for archery, decorative for prestige, ritual for ceremonies or burials. It is impossible to precisely date an archer’s ring: they were used for a long period without real change in their design. Moreover, while some were discovered near temples and palatial complexes, most archery accessories are discovered in funerary contexts, from Meroe Island to the most remote areas of the kingdom. They were found in royal and elite Meroitic graves, and then continue to be found in the tombs of elite individuals dating from the post-Meroitic period.

Faïza Drici, Andrew W. Mellon Fellow 2019


References

Griffith, F.L. 1924. "Oxford Excavations in Nubia, XXX-XXXII," Liverpool Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology 11, pp. 141-180, pl. LVII.

Griffith, F.L. 1925. "Oxford Excavations in Nubia, XXXIV-XXXIX," Liverpool Annals of Archaeology and Anthropology 12, pp. 57-172.

Excavated by the Oxford Expedition to Nubia at Faras 1910-1912. Allotted to the Oxford Expedition by the government in the division of finds. Then, received by the Museum in 1926.