Timor slingshot?
I really like the carving that "primitive" people put into their weapons and everyday artifacts. Here is a slingsot / catapult purportedly from the Indonesian island of Timor.
I do not know the age, but it is from an old collection and has wonderful patina.
I like the representations of the male (picture #2) and the female (picture #3) on the sides of the handle. Balance of male and female supporting the piece. Symbolism depicting male and female was very important to the animistic / pagan societies. This went far deeper than mere fertility.
Tantra also means overcoming obstacles.
The fascinating lines on the piece are a common motif in Timor, and also the Dayak and Batak peoples. Look like whorls of energy to me. I wonder what they see?
Early, pre-contact pieces from animistic tribes, whether African, Indian, Indonesian or other cultures, were made for a purpose that was not considered merely art by the people who made them. The symbols were there to make the pieces more effective tools, weapons, communications devices with spirits -- even gods. Not decorations.
It is likely that the carver thought that the intricate carving made this piece a more powerful weapon. He certainly spent a lot of time and effort on it.
8 inches (20.32 cm) Tall
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