Thumb ring

A thumb ring is a protective equipment used by the archers in archery competitions. The thumb rings are made from leather, stone, horn, wood, antler, ivory, metal, ceramics, plastic or glass. It’s worn on the end of the thumb with the outer edge coming fitting over the outer joint. The flat region extended from the ring aids in protect ting the thumb pad from the bowstring stretch. While drawing a bow, the thumb is hooked around the bowstring, reinforcing the grip with a finger and so the bowstring remains in contact with the inner side of the thumb. So here, the thumb ring protects the thumb skin while bowstring rests over the inner pad of the archer’s thumb.

Different types of Archery Thumb Rings

• Turkish thumb rings - The traditional Turkish archery uses solid thumb rings known as Zihgir. It has a typical shape with an elongated underside for protecting the archer’s thumb. The thumb rings having jewels embedded were a symbol of high status in the Ottoman period and used to have elaborated designs.
• Manchu (Chinese) thumb rings - The Manchu and Tibetan thumb rings are cylindrical and have a simple designing. The bowstring rests on the cylindrical ring’s bottom lip, close to the thumb’s base and can be made from a variety of materials.
• Korean thumb rings - The Korean thumb rings are designed separately for male and female archers. The female rings are known as Gakji with a design similar to the Turkish Ottoman rings. Similarly, the male rings are known as Sugakji. It has a protruded base that hooks the bowstring over which the index finger curls to provide a better hold.

Evolution of Thumb Rings

Thumb rings have been used since ancient times, especially by the Egyptians and Assyrians. The first traditional thumb rings were made from leather and then followed by solid rings. In ancient China, large cylindrical thumb rings were used to be manufactured. Later in the middle ages, the rings were customized by adding beautiful designs and jewels, especially made by the Turks and Mughals. However, the modern rings are made from durable hard plastic or other solid materials.