1932.53.55

Collection type

Object

Description

Very long spear with reed shaft, wooden foreshaft and small stone blade fixed with resin. [JMC [OPS move] 9/8/2018]

Long description

Very long spear with reed shaft and slender wooden foreshaft. At the tip of this is a small, pointed stone blade with serrated edges, set into resin and bound to the foreshaft with sinew. The resin has been painted red with patches of white. The butt and the join between the shaft and foreshaft are also bound with sinew. [JMC [OPS move] 9/8/2018]

Geographical reference

Australia

Oceania > Australia and New Zealand > Australia

Northern Territory Livingstone Ranges

Person

Field collector Eric Conran

PRM source Mrs M.O. Burrows

PRM source Mrs Gordon Canning

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1932

Date collected

By 1932

Acquisition information

Donated: 10/1932

Materials and processes

Material Wood Plant, Material Resin Plant, Material Plant Fibre, Material Reed Plant, Material Stone, Material Sinew, Material Pigment, Process Flaked, Process Bound, Process Painted

Dimensions

Width: max 28 mm, Length: max 2877 mm, Depth: max 19 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1932.53.55

Research and responses

According to Dr M. O’Hanlon, A.R.M. probably stands for Assistant Resident Magistrate. [CW 23/2/2000] Confirmed by Sylvia Schaffarczyk, a PhD student from the Australian National University, in September 2004 during a visit to research collections made by Australian colonial administrators in Papua New Guinea. [ZM 3/9/2004]

This object was studied by Harry Allen, University of Auckland on 21 October 2013. He said the small stone head was designed to come off when the spear hit something. It could be used on prey or humans. He noted the bindings look like sinew. This spear was made to be used, not for sale. Spears made for tourists tend to be shorter so they are easier to transport. [MJD 21/10/2013]

Search terms: Weapon, Spear