Re: Sagittarius and crossbow

[Jorge Stolfi <stolfi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

    > [Jim Reeds:] Is the topic under discussion the use of an image
    > of a crossbowman rather than of an archer as a Zodiacal sign, as
    > Rafal first asked?

The prohibition story was merely meant to prove that the crossbow was
unknown to the Greeks. But, as you say, that doesn't matter --- the 1100
OED citation implies that the crossbow, although medieval, is still
too old to be a meaningful marker.

    > [Jim Gillogly:] It seems to me one doesn't need to go to the
    > Middle East to find Islam in that era
    
Varying parts of Spain and Portugal were under Islamic rule from 711
to 1492.

All the best,

--stolfi