diff --git a/arango/aql.py b/arango/aql.py
index 217664e6..4dccef33 100644
--- a/arango/aql.py
+++ b/arango/aql.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 from arango.request import Request
 from arango.response import Response
 from arango.result import Result
-from arango.typings import Json, Jsons
+from arango.typings import DataTypes, Json, Jsons
 
 
 class AQLQueryCache(ApiGroup):
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ def explain(
         all_plans: bool = False,
         max_plans: Optional[int] = None,
         opt_rules: Optional[Sequence[str]] = None,
-        bind_vars: Optional[MutableMapping[str, str]] = None,
+        bind_vars: Optional[MutableMapping[str, DataTypes]] = None,
     ) -> Result[Union[Json, Jsons]]:
         """Inspect the query and return its metadata without executing it.
 
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ def execute(
         count: bool = False,
         batch_size: Optional[int] = None,
         ttl: Optional[Number] = None,
-        bind_vars: Optional[MutableMapping[str, str]] = None,
+        bind_vars: Optional[MutableMapping[str, DataTypes]] = None,
         full_count: Optional[bool] = None,
         max_plans: Optional[int] = None,
         optimizer_rules: Optional[Sequence[str]] = None,
diff --git a/arango/typings.py b/arango/typings.py
index 8d49e3fd..157802f9 100644
--- a/arango/typings.py
+++ b/arango/typings.py
@@ -1,6 +1,16 @@
-__all__ = ["Fields", "Headers", "Json", "Jsons", "Params"]
+__all__ = [
+    "Fields",
+    "Headers",
+    "Json",
+    "Jsons",
+    "Params",
+    "PrimitiveDataTypes",
+    "CompoundDataTypes",
+    "DataTypes",
+]
 
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, MutableMapping, Sequence, Union
+from numbers import Number
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, MutableMapping, Optional, Sequence, Union
 
 Json = Dict[str, Any]
 Jsons = List[Json]
@@ -8,3 +18,11 @@
 Headers = MutableMapping[str, str]
 Fields = Union[str, Sequence[str]]
 DriverFlags = List[str]
+PrimitiveDataTypes = Optional[Union[bool, Number, str]]
+CompoundDataTypes = Optional[
+    Union[
+        Sequence[Optional[Union[PrimitiveDataTypes, "CompoundDataTypes"]]],
+        MutableMapping[str, Optional[Union[PrimitiveDataTypes, "CompoundDataTypes"]]],
+    ]
+]
+DataTypes = Optional[Union[PrimitiveDataTypes, CompoundDataTypes]]