|
A Kambot spear thrower from Korogopa
is made from a length of bamboo which is partly cut away on one side to allow access of the spear butt to the rear socket.
Forward of the mid-length stem joint a second slot is cut to receive an openwork oval-shaped spear rest.
This rest is lashed in place by a string binding of eight turns. The upper quarter of the rest is likely to represent the beak of the hornbill.
Geometric patterns have been carved into the sides of the rest; A light weathered patina on shaft; wood erosion at base of rest.
Material: bamboo, wood, fibre, clay, pigments; length: 750mm; diameter: 28mm.
Provenance:
Collected from Korogopa on the Keram River in the early 1970s,
Acquired by LukLuk Gallery from a tribal art gallery in Melbourne in 1990.
From the amount of erosion of wood around the base of the rest when compared with the newness of the lashing and
general good condition of the bamboo it can be realised that the bamboo shaft can be renewed a number of times in the lifetime of the spear rest.
Discussion:
See 'Ryan, P. 1972' - (pp.721-22) for a description in the use of a spear thrower.
Comparison:
See 'Kelm, H. 1966 (Vol.I)' - (pl.201-36) for illustrations of spear throwers from the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea.
Artefact Code: ML0106
|
| |
