Australian spearthrower
 

I just got this piece, together with some African stuff. I came from the attic of the seller's grandfather. He had no idea what it was.

I got it as a bonus...for free :D :p

My guess is that it's a woomera or Australian spearthrower. Am I right ? It's a wooden piece with a 'bulb' made from resin (?) at one end. The other end has a kind of 'thorn'.

Length : approx. 68 cm.

Here are some pics :

Yep spot on.
I have seen these made in the bush and used one too. They really up the power of the thrower and aid aim.
The peg on the back was some times made from an Emu toe.
Nice find.
I have a different type which was brought back pre 65 I will dig it out and add photo.
Regards
David

Lucky! I think it's from a desert tribe, possibly one of the ones near Uluru.

F

Atlatls, woomeras, hul'che, etc. are a very ancient and effective weapon system... those 6-7' darts are pretty deadly and penetrate quite well. Seems by the colonial/imperialism age only Australia, Papua New Guinea, Alaska, Florida, Central America, and South America (in some places) retained its use. The Spaniards seemed most terrified of the atlatl than any slings, bows, macuahuitl, tepoztopilli, etc. that the Aztecs fielded in some of their accounts....

Do any of you guys use atlatl/woomera for hunting or even just practice with them?
I know this forum seems more interested in swords like tulwars, yataghans, kris, and the occasional mandau...
but hey, nothing wrong with some paleo-weaponry or "stone age" weapons.



Here are my two atlatl reproductions, the straight one is based off a Tapuya thrower (S. America) and the one with the loops is based off a Pre-Colombian Mexican atlatl (near Aztec Empire)... They are a lot of fun to hurl my 6' darts with. Hopefully someday my skills are great enough to hunt!

Mine are thrown with a different grip than the woomera however. Interesting, different techniques...