Aboriginal Boomerang
Aboriginal Boomerang
Aboriginal
Central Desert, Northern Territory - Queensland - New South Wales, Australia
Late 19th - Early 20th century
Wood (Acacia Aneura)
Length: 21" (53.3cm)
Width: 2" (5.1cm) at elbow, 1 1/4" (3.2cm) near wing end
Collection Date: 2024
Collection Number: 447
Ex. Handbury Tribal Art: Shrewsbury, United Kingdom (2024)
An old Aboriginal return boomerang from Australia, showcasing the iconic symbol of Aboriginal culture as the most popular art form. Serving a multitude of general purposes, primarily hunting and warfare, designed to strike the target and fall to the ground. In hunting, the boomerang served to incapacitate the prey, allowing the hunter to catch the animal, which was then killed by a spear or other weapon.
Carved from one piece of Mulga wood (Acacia Aneura) in curved form with rounded edged wings. The wood is adze carved longitudinal with a grooved texture on both sides. The top plane is convex while flat on the bottom face. This example may be from the Central Desert region, but also similar examples were found as far as New South Wales in the Southeast. A genuine old example in excellent condition.
Photograph 13: Luritja man demonstrating the method of attack with a boomerang under the cover of a shield, ca. 1920. Photographed by Herbert Basedow.
Photograph 14: Titled “Natives Workii Tribe“, Workii Warriors, ca. 1900. Photographed by Kerry & Co, Sydney.
[1] https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/313727
[2] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-32110
[3] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-21753
[4] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-45950
[5] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-120854
[6] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-45967
[7] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-219214
[8] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Oc1848-0209-1
[9] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Oc1903-0404-75
[10] https://www.weltmuseumwien.at/en/objects/boomerang-493356
[11] https://collections.penn.museum/collections/object/170147
[12] https://collections.penn.museum/collections/object/352309