Description

Both of these spears would have been thrown with either a broad concave or flat woomera. The hook on the longer spear has been affixed with wet kangaroo sinew which was first chewed to soften it before tying. The binding became very tight upon drying and was durable. The shorter spear has been fashioned from a Mulga wood branch and the longer shaft from the root of another acacia variety.

Although the root yielding acacias are stunted and small the lateral roots can be up to 3 metres long. The presence of these roots was detected by the experienced eyes of the spear maker through the small fissures that appear on the ground above the roots. He would then dig down up to 45 cms. to locate the root and then follow it through leaving a long trench. The root would then be placed on a fire to soften the bark so that it could be peeled off. It was then further heated a bit at a time and straightened by bending it under the soles of the foot or between the teeth. The whole process would take several hours and spears were such a prized item that if the shaft split it would often be repaired with kangaroo sinew.