Aboriginal spear head

[colin henshaw]

Thanks to Amuk Murugul and VANDOO for their interesting and pertinent comments.

VANDOO, would you be able to post images of more of your Australian Aboriginal collection ? its an area I quite like...

Here is another image from the book "Australia's Aborigines" by F D McCarthy showing different spear types. Seemingly spear points were also made from glass bottles and ceramic power insulators.

Regards.

[fearn]

The other two constraints are that metal is heavier and more expensive than stone or wood. If you put a metal point on a throwing spear, then you've got to redesign the whole thing to get the balance right, and you've got the chore of getting the metal. And you may worry more about losing it, too.

And, to be very blunt, it might be simpler to get a rifle than to get or make a metal spear head. The Arnhem Landers do talk about using the two tool-kits (aboriginal and modern) after all, and a metal spear doesn't fit in either kit.

Best,

F

[VANDOO]

WELL YOU ASKED FOR IT
I THINK MOST OF THESE ARE FROM ARNIHIEM LAND, ONE PICTURE HAS A PIPE FOR SMOKING BETWEEN TWO SPEAR TIPS.

[VANDOO]

HERE ARE SOME SPEARS FROM GROOTE ISLAND. SPEAR TIPS USUALLY RANGE FROM 72 TO 94CM. LONG.

[Amuk Murugul]

Originally Posted by fearn

The other two constraints are that metal is heavier and more expensive than stone or wood. If you put a metal point on a throwing spear, then you've got to redesign the whole thing to get the balance right, and you've got the chore of getting the metal. And you may worry more about losing it, too.

And, to be very blunt, it might be simpler to get a rifle than to get or make a metal spear head. The Arnhem Landers do talk about using the two tool-kits (aboriginal and modern) after all, and a metal spear doesn't fit in either kit.

Best,

F

Hullo everybody,

I tend to agree. It takes a relatively short time for an expert to make a set of practical hunting spears of stone, sapling, resin and kangaroo sinew.

Best,

[VANDOO]

OF ALL THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL SPEARS I LIKE THE ONES FROM THE TIWI TRIBES ON BATHURST AND MELLVILLE ISLANDS BEST. ITS WORTH A VISIT IF YOU ARE IN THE DARWIN AREA.