Photo essay: The ancient art of Mamluk archery brought to life in Umm Al Quwain


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As the early morning mist clears with the sunrise, a unique group of international practitioners of the ancient art of Mamluk archery gathers on a dune top overlooking scattered camel pens and small local farms. They have come from the UK, Turkey and as far away as Austin, Texas, to participate in this year's Mamluk Games, held at Al Kaber Stables, Umm Al Quwain.

The archery practised here today is an ancient form of the sport, with the heritage of the combat form that originated in the 11th century. Starting in 1171, most of the Mamluks under the Ayyubid Dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt were taken from the Turkic-Kipchaks of the Central Steppe. The Kipchaks, who already had a strong tradition of mounted combat and archery, contributed to the development of Mamluk archery in the medieval Near East, from where the style and traditions on show in the games were re-enacted in the first three-day Mamluk Games.

Mahmoud Qalyoubi, centre, prepares for the first event of the day, a trial of long-distance shooting in which arrows reach beyond 200 metres. Antonie Robertson / The National
Mahmoud Qalyoubi, centre, prepares for the first event of the day, a trial of long-distance shooting in which arrows reach beyond 200 metres. Antonie Robertson / The National

Mahmoud Qalyoubi, head coach for Mamluk Academy UAE and the host of the first Mamluk Games, explains the cultural relevance. "The Mamluks ruled out of Cairo, parts of North Africa and the western side of the Arabian Peninsula. Their influence was significant in developing this region from all aspects of life, specifically their knowledge of horseback archery. Today, we preserve this knowledge by carrying on the tradition."

The term "Mamluk", derived from Arabic, translates to "one who is owned", meaning "slave". It explicitly refers to non-Arab, ethnically diverse people who were enslaved mercenaries assigned to high-ranking military and administrative duties in service to the ruling Arab and Ottoman dynasties in the Muslim world. They often attained high ranks and garnered wide respect for their skills within their communities.

Alperen Alkan, an instructor from Mamluk Archery Academy in Turkey. Antonie Robertson / The National
Alperen Alkan, an instructor from Mamluk Archery Academy in Turkey. Antonie Robertson / The National

Over time, they evolved into a powerful military knightly class in various Muslim societies under dynastic Arab rulers, particularly in Egypt and Syria, but also within the Ottoman Empire, the Levant, Mesopotamia and as far away as India.

Mahmoud said: "The present-day Mamluk Academy is headquartered in Ankara, Turkey, with multiple other clubs across the world. The idea of the first edition of the Mamluk Games is a competition to bring all the different clubs together to revive traditional historical archery disciplines within the region. This competition included challenges on the ground but focused highly on the horseback aspect of the tradition. Our participants represented their respective clubs from countries such as Germany, Turkey, UAE, UK and US."

Nadia Gilmore, who travelled from the UK with her family to participate in the games. Her family are part of the Liverpool branch of the Mamluk Academy UK. Antonie Robertson / The National
Nadia Gilmore, who travelled from the UK with her family to participate in the games. Her family are part of the Liverpool branch of the Mamluk Academy UK. Antonie Robertson / The National

The primary focus of the Mamluks' military prowess was their cavalry. The Arabic term "Furusiyya" refers to equestrianism, specifically military equestrianism. These talents were on show, with riders participating in various challenges involving a hand-made Mamluk-style recurve bow.

Targets are set on a course and each rider is timed throughout several runs to hit as many targets as accurately as possible.

Dr Rashid Sultan Al Mheiri, from the UAE, who makes bows using traditional methods in his spare time. Antonie Robertson / The National
Dr Rashid Sultan Al Mheiri, from the UAE, who makes bows using traditional methods in his spare time. Antonie Robertson / The National

"The uniqueness of the first Mamluk Games competition was that it combined both ground archery and horseback archery as opposed to one or the other," Mahmoud said. "Furthermore, all competition disciplines and tracks were true historical representations of how the Mamluks were training and testing the skills of their archers."

Though small, the three-day event brings the ancient arts back to a region that could have seen the original Mamluk warrior cross it many centuries ago. "I wouldn't call it a sport; it is a tradition," he said. "This tradition is being revived through various efforts across the globe. At Mamluk Academy, we are committed to passing the correct historical knowledge to our students to keep the flow of expertise running for generations to come."

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3.05pm: Al Furjan – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bosphorus, Dane O’Neill, Bhupat Seemar

3.40pm: Mina – Rated Condition (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar

4.15pm: Aliyah – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,900m; Winner: Ursa Minor, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash

4.50pm: Riviera Beach – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Woodditton, Saif Al Balushi, Ahmad bin Harmash

5.25pm: Riviera – Handicap (TB) Dh2,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Al Madhar, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

6pm: Creek Views – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Al Salt, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy

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Sustainable Development Goals

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality  within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development

Updated: January 31, 2025, 6:01 PM`