New stick to pick over.

Tim Simmons · 13th November 2007, 09:07 PM

I have just got this from well you know where. What I very much hope is a South Sudan fighting stick. I will post more sensitive pics with other sticks when it arrives. The AUS Aborigines use a similar fighting stick. I wonder if it might be possible for others to post pics so a comparitive study can be made?

katana · 13th November 2007, 11:03 PM

I saw something similar to this on eBay. I had assumed it was a shaft for a spear with socketted ends........I never thought it could be a fighting stick

VANDOO · 14th November 2007, 05:40 AM

I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY FIGHTING STICKS OF THAT FORM BUT IT RESEMBLES A SPEAR OR ARROW POINT FROM THE SOUTH PACIFIC OR A LOVE STICK FROM MICRONESIA. YOU CAN GOOGLE (MICRONESIA LOVE STICK) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. IF IT IS LARGE ROUND AND HEAVY THAT WOULD ELIMINATE IT FROM BEING EITHER OF THE ABOVE. LOVE STICKS ARE USUALLY FLAT AND THIN AND SPEAR AND ARROW POINTS LIGHT AND THIN. THEY DO HAVE FIGHTING STICKS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC WHICH ARE GRIPPED IN THE MIDDLE AND CAN STRIKE TO EITHER SIDE THEY ARE USUALLY FAIRLY SHORT FOR SPEED AND SO THEY WONT STICK AS MULTIPLE STABS ARE OFTEN NECESSARY TO WIN A FIGHT. THE WOOD IN YOUR EXAMPLE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THOSE USUALLY USED IN THE ISLANDS. GOOD LUCK I HOPE YOU FIND IT IS ACTUALLY WHAT YOU ARE WISHING FOR.

Tim Simmons · 14th November 2007, 11:31 AM

There is a stabbing form of "Nulla nulla" similar to this double pointed stick with a swelling in or near the centre as a grip. This link has not very impressive contemporary examples. So far I have been unable to find a picture of the short double pointed stabbing stick I have seen before.
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...%3Den%26sa%3DG

Tim Simmons · 14th November 2007, 12:42 PM

Still looking for more finely made older sharpened examples but these show something of the form and AUS is a big place. The first link the example is 3cm longer than the thread starter. The second link the example is 9cm shorter.
http://www.flight-toys.com/artifacts/br112.html
http://www.flight-toys.com/artifacts/ct03.html

Jim McDougall · 14th November 2007, 11:14 PM

Hi Tim,
You always keep bringing in fascinating new entries from Africa, and it's great to learn more on the ever widening scope of weapons revealed from the cultures there thanks to you!
The fighting sticks are most interesting and I honestly know little about them aside from seeing something on them while researching the Sudanese 'haladie' some time ago. It is most interesting to see weapons of similar concept and presumably similar use coming from such vastly distant regions. The 'nulla nulla' you note from Australia, the 'haladie' which Stone notes in from Syria as well as found in the Sudan, and of course the buffalo horn 'madu' of India. While such vast distances suggest convergent evolution, it is tempting to consider early connections via trade in certain cases...although the Australian connection seems pretty remote

and probably unlikely of course.

Best regards,
Jim

13th November 2007, 09:07 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,750	New stick to pick over. I have just got this from well you know where. What I very much hope is a South Sudan fighting stick. I will post more sensitive pics with other sticks when it arrives. The AUS Aborigines use a similar fighting stick. I wonder if it might be possible for others to post pics so a comparitive study can be made?

13th November 2007, 11:03 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	I saw something similar to this on eBay. I had assumed it was a shaft for a spear with socketted ends........I never thought it could be a fighting stick

14th November 2007, 05:40 AM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY FIGHTING STICKS OF THAT FORM BUT IT RESEMBLES A SPEAR OR ARROW POINT FROM THE SOUTH PACIFIC OR A LOVE STICK FROM MICRONESIA. YOU CAN GOOGLE (MICRONESIA LOVE STICK) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. IF IT IS LARGE ROUND AND HEAVY THAT WOULD ELIMINATE IT FROM BEING EITHER OF THE ABOVE. LOVE STICKS ARE USUALLY FLAT AND THIN AND SPEAR AND ARROW POINTS LIGHT AND THIN. THEY DO HAVE FIGHTING STICKS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC WHICH ARE GRIPPED IN THE MIDDLE AND CAN STRIKE TO EITHER SIDE THEY ARE USUALLY FAIRLY SHORT FOR SPEED AND SO THEY WONT STICK AS MULTIPLE STABS ARE OFTEN NECESSARY TO WIN A FIGHT. THE WOOD IN YOUR EXAMPLE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THOSE USUALLY USED IN THE ISLANDS. GOOD LUCK I HOPE YOU FIND IT IS ACTUALLY WHAT YOU ARE WISHING FOR.

14th November 2007, 11:31 AM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,750	There is a stabbing form of "Nulla nulla" similar to this double pointed stick with a swelling in or near the centre as a grip. This link has not very impressive contemporary examples. So far I have been unable to find a picture of the short double pointed stabbing stick I have seen before. http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...%3Den%26sa%3DG

14th November 2007, 12:42 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,750	Still looking for more finely made older sharpened examples but these show something of the form and AUS is a big place. The first link the example is 3cm longer than the thread starter. The second link the example is 9cm shorter. http://www.flight-toys.com/artifacts/br112.html http://www.flight-toys.com/artifacts/ct03.html

14th November 2007, 11:14 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,815	Hi Tim, You always keep bringing in fascinating new entries from Africa, and it's great to learn more on the ever widening scope of weapons revealed from the cultures there thanks to you! The fighting sticks are most interesting and I honestly know little about them aside from seeing something on them while researching the Sudanese 'haladie' some time ago. It is most interesting to see weapons of similar concept and presumably similar use coming from such vastly distant regions. The 'nulla nulla' you note from Australia, the 'haladie' which Stone notes in from Syria as well as found in the Sudan, and of course the buffalo horn 'madu' of India. While such vast distances suggest convergent evolution, it is tempting to consider early connections via trade in certain cases...although the Australian connection seems pretty remote and probably unlikely of course. Best regards, Jim