Yuzuka Kanagu

Japanese: 弣金具 - ゆづかかなぐ

The central part of the bow is called the yuzuka (bow handle), and the metal fittings attached to the yuzuka for decoration are called yuzuka fittings. The yuzuka of short bows from the Shang and Zhou dynasties in China were decorated with bronze yuzuka fittings that were boat-shaped on the surface and had bells on both ends. In Japan's Yayoi and Kofun periods, it was common for the yuzuka of round wooden bows to be slightly thicker or wrapped in bark to make them easier to grip. However, an iron bow used for ceremonial guards excavated from the Mesuriyama Kofun Tumulus in Nara Prefecture had a thin yuzuka fitting with a pattern on the inside of the yuzuka attached, suggesting that high-quality bows from the Kofun period had yuzuka decorated with patterns or metal fittings.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

弓の中央部分を弣(弓柄)（ゆづか∥ゆつか）といい，弣に装飾として取り付けた金具を弣金具と呼ぶ。中国，殷･周代の短弓の弣には，平面が舟形を呈し，両端に鈴を付けた青銅製の弣金具が，装飾として付けられる。日本の弥生時代，古墳時代では，丸木弓の弣をやや太目にしたり，樹皮を巻いて握りやすくするのが一般的である。しかし奈良県のメスリ山古墳から出土した儀仗用の鉄弓では，弣の内面に文様を施した細板状の弣金具が取り付けられており，古墳時代の高級な弓には，弣に文様なり金具なりで装飾を施したことを示唆している。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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