Item TB177
This Item was Sold on 8 April 2010
for $66
Similar artifacts for sale are often found on the Aboriginal
Hunting Boomerangs web page.
Historical Pricing information for this item and similar artifacts
can be found at: Historical Artifact
Prices.
When Aborigines came out of the bush, they usually sought
shelter at the Christian missions that were built on the
frontiers of the outback. The Aborigines would set up camps
at or near the missions and make artifacts to trade to the
missionaries for sugar, flour, tobacco and other
non-indigenous goods. The missions would then sell the
artifacts to tourists. The early transition artifacts were
of very good quality and they were similar to what the
Aborigines made in the bush. However, the missions would not
buy these artifacts unless the Aborigines added
non-indigenous art to make these artifacts more appealing to
the tourists. This hunting boomerang, or throwstick, is an early
transition boomerang made out of hard mulga and with very
good workmanship. It was probably made in the mid 1900s. The
art work is similar to the art done by Aborigines who sold
their artifacts to the Yalata Mission in South Australia.
The wood is dark with blonde edges. Both surfaces are smooth
and without the adze marks that you generally find in
Western or Central Desert artifacts. The upper surface has
incised artwork depicting several kangaroos in a bush scene.
The ends are squared off and this is unusual for Yalata. It
is more common to see this done on boomerangs made in
northern Queensland. This is a large boomerang, without
damage, and it would make a nice display item. Length = 62
cm ; Weight = 436 gm