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Archers’ Looses in Iron Age Sudan: An Asiatic Style in an African Context

Abstract The archer’s loose, used as protection for the thumb while drawing the bow, is traditionally associated with the Asiatic style of archery and regarded as a response to the introduction of the composite bow. Little attention has previously been paid to looses found in ancient Nubia, and this paper presents a more comprehensive typology of this material. It confirms a divergence between purely functional forms and a later ceremonial tradition that existed alongside the functional looses. This ceremonial tradition is discussed as a marker of an elite military identity, demonstrating the cultural impact of conflict.