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Athumb ring is aring meant to be worn on one'sthumb. Most commonly, thumb rings are used as anarchery equipment designed to protect thethumbpulp from thebowstring during athumb draw, and are made of leather,stone,horn,wood,bone,antler,ivory,metal,ceramics,plastic orglass. It usually fits over thedistal phalanx of the thumb, coming to rest at the distal edge of theinterphalangeal joint. Typically aflange extends from the ring to cover the thumb pulp, and may be supplemented by a leather extension.
In some cultures, thumb rings also serve adecorative function like other types of rings, and are used to signalsocial status orranks. InEast Asia, such thumb rings are usually made ofjade.
The most common use of a thumb ring throughout history has been its role inarchery. When drawing abow using athumb draw, the thumb is hooked around thebowstring just beneath the arrow and its grip reinforced with the first (sometimes second) finger. The bowstring rests against the inner pad of the archer's thumb and the thumb ring protects the skin. The bowstring rests against the flat of the ring when the bow is drawn. Today, thumb rings are used by archers practicing styles from most ofAsia and some regions of northernAfrica.
According to some ancient beliefs, wearing a thumb ring can ward off spells, misfortunes, and illness. In many cases, these thumb rings would be engraved with specific symbols to further scare off evil spirits, demons, and dark scourges.
Starting inAncient Greek societies, wearing thumb rings was a symbol of power, rank, wealth, and influence. In some cases, the highest and wealthiest authorities would wear multiple thumb rings to prove their importance. This usage is still in practice in many countries today.
InAncient China, thumbs rings are commonly made out ofjade and worn specifically to signifymilitary ranks orseniorities in religioussects.
Thumb rings have been in use in Asia since the Neolithic period. The first examples were likely made of leather, but artifacts made entirely of leather do not last thousands of years. Surviving artifact rings are made of bone, horn, or stone; presumably most would have incorporated a leather guard. Comparison with historical and modern rings shows little functional change over the millennia.[1] In the cemetery of the smallRui state at Liangdaicun nearHancheng on the Yellow River (where it flows south between the provinces of Shaanxi and Shanxi), a Lord of Rui was interred in a tomb, M 27, dated to the eighth century BCE. His grave goods included two thumb rings, made of gold but of an entirely modern pattern.[2]
The author of "Arab Archery" refers to rings as being usually made of leather.[3] A "thumb tip" or "thumb ring" which is called "kustubān" by the Persian and "khayta‘ah" by the Arabs, consists of a ring of leather or some other material. It is worn over the right thumb, leaving the nail and knuckle exposed, and is used for the protection of the thumb against injuries which are usually caused by the string when it is drawn and released."[4] Possibly, most ordinary archers historically used tabs of leather, much cheaper and easier to make, but such rings are not likely to survive. Metal thumb rings of silver or bronze were thought to be too inflexible in use, and thus were less accurate.
Many surviving historic thumbrings arehardstone carvings injade and othergemstones, or are made of precious metal. Most are very practical but some have the release surface so ornamented as to be unusable. The rings could be displayed on a cord from the belt, or, in China, in a special box. In the 16th century court of theOttoman Empire they had the extra function of being "used when executing disgraced officials to tighten a handkerchief wound round the throat".[5]
In territories of theQing dynasty, Manchurian cylindrical thumb rings gradually displaced more thumb pad shaped thumb rings. These cylindrical thumb rings would go over the primary thumb joint, hooking the draw string around the base of the cylinder.
Media related toArcher's rings at Wikimedia Commons
