Thumb Ring

Asymmetrical thumb-rings were used in Islam from at least the 14th century to protect the archer's thumb when shooting arrows with a composite bow. Many extant thumb-rings, however, were not for use but display, and are shown, for example, suspended on silk strings from the belts of Jahangir and other Mughal emperors. This ring is of this type: friction from the bowstring would have damaged the settings, while the jewelled settings would have impeded the loosening of the string.