Primitive Weapons

In East Africa an unusual form of spear-thrower is found. A shaft of wood terminating in a swollen head has this part hollowed out ; into it is fitted the butt of the spear. The man then manipu lates the thrower as though it were a part of the spear-shaft, but it does not leave his hand.

Bolas.

An unusual missile now used almost exclusively for hunting or as a game is the bolas. Among the Patagonians and the Gauchos of La Plata, who formerly used it in warfare, it is composed of three (less commonly two) balls of stone connected with each other at a common centre by thongs several feet long. One ball is usually smaller than the rest, and this is held while whirling the bolas. The aim is to entangle the victim in the thongs rather than to kill him. Among the Ho of Togoland, West Africa, a long cord with a stone attached at either end is similarly used for hindering an advancing enemy. Elsewhere a few tribes in Central and East Africa use the same instrument as a toy. The Eskimo uses a many-thonged bolas for catching birds.

Thrusting-spears and Clubs.

These are the most important weapons used in hand-to-hand fighting. The former are very similar to the throwing-spears, though usually heavier, and, since nicety of balance is not necessary more often made without a separate foreshaft. Many of them are heavily barbed as in the beautiful specimens found in Fiji. Clubs are of diverse kinds. Primarily they are for bruising or crushing, but some, such as the bird-headed clubs which are used in New Caledonia are well adapted for piercing. A distinction can also be made between those which are all of one piece and those having a head of different material from the shaft—usually of stone. Among those of the former type the business end is usually considerably thicker than the shaft and carved with spikes or rugosities (some times in imitation of its prototype the torn-up sapling) which make it more effective ; but in the W. Pacific bat-shaped clubs, called by the early travellers "swords," are also found, though to-day they seem to be used more often for ceremonial than for military purposes. Clubs made entirely of any material other than wood are not very common, but the nephrite mere and bone pate of the Maoris are examples, and also the rhinoceros horn clubs of the Bechuana. These former are not only striking but also thrusting weapons, and are supplied with sharpened edges for the latter purpose.

Poisons.—The art of poisoning their weapons is known to many tribes. The poison is extracted from plants, as the upas tree in Indonesia, and also sometimes from reptiles and insects. In many parts of the world, however, weapons are said to be poisoned but are not, for deaths due to tetanus which so often followed wounds from these have frequently been mis-attributed to poison. The belief arose partly from the statements of the

natives themselves, partly from the presence (in the West Pacific) of a green gummy substance at the base of the arrow or spear heads. The latter is, however, only the vegetable cement fastening head to foreshaft, while the former refer to the magical power supposed to be given the weapon by using human instead of animal bone for the head or barbs.

Primitive Armour.—With the exception of shields, weapons of defence are not common among primitive peoples, though some have armour of a sort. In New Guinea, a few tribes wear a body covering of basket work, sometimes with a high back to protect the neck and head. In the Gilbert Islands, owing to the dearth of timber, native weapons of the ordinary kind are not found, but in their stead, slender spears and many pronged "swords" edged with sharks' teeth; as a protection against these, armour of coconut fibre is worn often covering the whole person, includ ing the head. From West Africa and among the Baggara of the north-east occasional suits of chain mail have been recorded, probably the result of Arab influence. Plate armour is found in north-east Asia and on the north-west coast of America, and among the Haida cuirasses of wooden or bone slats are used, whose form is reminiscent of this. In Indonesia corselets of hide or basketry and wadded coats covered with feathers give protection, and helmets of cane or skin are also found in this area and in Indo-China, and Assam.

Shields.—Shields vary greatly in material and form. In Africa hide and basketry are much used, the former mainly in the east and south among the cattle-rearing people. In Indonesia, Australia and the Pacific region those of wood are more common, though basketry ones are also found. The Australian shields are small and light, suitable for parrying blows, and in this are similar to those of the Dinka and Mundu of the Sudan; elsewhere they are mostly for covering the most vital parts of the body. The shield is essentially the means of defence for those who use the club and spear and who fight mainly in the open. It is not convenient for a bow and arrow people, since it interferes with the free use of both hands. In New Guinea, however, this diffi culty has been overcome. Among the Tapiro pygmies of Nether lands New Guinea a small shield is hung round the neck in a net bag in such a way as to protect the chest. Among the Gulf tribes of Papua a large wooden shield, which has in its upper edge a deep slot for the passage of the left arm, is suspended over the shoulder, so that a man can draw his bow while keeping covered the whole of his body which is towards the foe.

See

Horniman Museum Handbook, Weapons of War and of the Chase. (C. H. W.)