Large arrow or spear for I.D

Royston · 9th March 2011, 06:15 PM

It's about 5 feet long !!

At first I thought it was a spear, but it is so light I just cannot see getting any weight behind a blow.
As you can see it is also notched, which suggests to me that it is designed for a bow and not to be thrown or launched from some sort of spear thrower.

The head is carved bamboo and the shaft is some type of hollow reed, as I said, very light.

To me it is similar to New Guinea items in construction, but the wood is wrong and I have never seen them fletched.

South American perhaps ? I know nothing about this area and am not allowed to look at Amazons

All suggestions welcome

Regards
Roy

Tim Simmons · 9th March 2011, 06:30 PM

Amazon. Picture from Amazonien, Museum fur Volkerkunde Dresden, Paracana. Like you I have read that Melanesian arrows are raerly fletched.

Royston · 10th March 2011, 09:36 AM

Thanks Tim

That looks about right

Roy

fearn · 10th March 2011, 09:48 PM

Hi Roy,

New Guinea arrows are easy, because they aren't fletched. They may not be nocked either, because some PNG tribes use a strip of rattan rather than a string to string their bows.

That said, you do have to watch out for modern atlatl darts, which look like oversized arrows.

That's not what this is, though. Tim nailed it.

Best,

F

9th March 2011, 06:15 PM	#1
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 441	Large arrow or spear for I.D It's about 5 feet long !! At first I thought it was a spear, but it is so light I just cannot see getting any weight behind a blow. As you can see it is also notched, which suggests to me that it is designed for a bow and not to be thrown or launched from some sort of spear thrower. The head is carved bamboo and the shaft is some type of hollow reed, as I said, very light. To me it is similar to New Guinea items in construction, but the wood is wrong and I have never seen them fletched. South American perhaps ? I know nothing about this area and am not allowed to look at Amazons All suggestions welcome Regards Roy Attached Images

9th March 2011, 06:30 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Amazon. Picture from Amazonien, Museum fur Volkerkunde Dresden, Paracana. Like you I have read that Melanesian arrows are raerly fletched. Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 9th March 2011 at 06:58 PM.

10th March 2011, 09:36 AM	#3
Royston Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Poole England Posts: 441	Thanks Tim That looks about right Roy

10th March 2011, 09:48 PM	#4
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Roy, New Guinea arrows are easy, because they aren't fletched. They may not be nocked either, because some PNG tribes use a strip of rattan rather than a string to string their bows. That said, you do have to watch out for modern atlatl darts, which look like oversized arrows. That's not what this is, though. Tim nailed it. Best, F