Tim:
That's an interesting item. Like others have already noted, I don't recall having seen another one like it.
As a possible spear thrower, there are many cultures that have used such a device (the Australian aboriginal woomera, the atiati of the Aztecs, etc.) and the Romans used leather slings for a similar purpose. However, it does not look right for an object designed to be a spear thrower. The man-made notch in the short protruding arm is upside down compared with the usual shape for holding a spear or similar projectile, while the "V" between the short and long arm is too rounded to reliably hold a spear.
Are you sure that the hair is from a horse. Would that not be unusual for Africa?
I don't know what it is, but its design does not strike me as an efficient spear thrower.
Ian.
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