1.1.2 AUSTRALIA & TERRITORIES>WEAPONS>PROJECTILES>THROWING CLUBS/STICKS/BOOMERANGS

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An important article on throwing clubs, throwing sticks and boomerangs was written by Davidson (1936).* He looked at the majority of such items contained in various Australian museums of that period, and tried to classify them according to their typology and place of origin. Unfortunately, Davidson's terminology for "boomerang" is incorrect in that he lumps non-returning, curved, throwing sticks with the returning boomerang. Otherwise, this is an excellent article compiled when there were still some knowledgeable indigenous people for consultation on the types and locations of these objects.

The following figures from Dovidson's account show the range of throwing items he examined and the geographic distributions that he compiled. Much of this information is still considered accurate.

Figure 1. Throwing sticks

Figure 2. Distribution of throwing sticks

Figure 3 & 4. Throwing clubs

Figure 5. Close quarter combat clubs

Figure 6. Distribution of boomerangs.

Note: This chart shows the distribution of true (i.e. returning) boomerangs as well as curved throwing sticks.

Figure 7. Boomerangs

Note: Only Fig 7f, 7i can be classified as true boomerangs. the others are curved throwing sticks or clubs.

Figure 8. Curved throwing sticks and clubs of Central and Northern Australia.

Note: There are no true boomerangs included in this group. They are curved throwing sticks. Fig 8h is a close quarter club resembling the leangl of Southeastern Australia (especially Victoria)

Reference

* Davidson, D. S. (1936). Australian throwing sticks, throwing clubs, and boomerangs. American Anthropologist, 38(1), 76–102. https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1936.38.1.02a00070 (Copy attached)