This item is a very old hardwood club from New South Wales. This type of club has a bulbous head. It is often called a throwing club but I think it was used as a hand held club. Sometimes, this type of club is called a Nula Nula. I acquired this club from the Barclay Gallery in 1987. It originally came from an auction house in the UK. It was listed as a pre-contact club (18^th century). It has numerous black bands around the circumference. These bands are supposed to be blood, possibly mixed with ochre. If the black bands are paint, then the paint would have been applied post-contact. I have never had the paint tested. The club is definitely ancient. There is so much moisture loss in the wood that you can see and feel textural changes in the surface. It is also in very nice condition, so it has always been one of my favorite clubs.