Item TB161
This Item was Sold on 7 December
2008 for $67
Similar artifacts for sale are often found on the South
American Artifacts web page.
Historical Pricing information for this item and similar artifacts
can be found at: Historical Artifact
Prices.
The bola or boleadoras is a primitive hunting tool that
was originally used by the Chinese, Eskimos and South
American Indians. Bolas are a throwing device made out of
weights that are attached to the ends of interconnected
cords. Bolas are designed to capture animals by entangling
their legs. They are most famously used by the South
American gauchos to capture running cattle or game. For detailed information about bolas from different
cultures, please visit the flight-toys
bola web page. This bola is a good example of a functional bola with
twisted, leather cords. Each of the balls has a solid
interior that is surrounded by a leather pouch. The
perimeter of each ball is braided with white and black
leather strips. This bola is probably strong enough to
throw, but it would be better to hang it on the wall for
display. Cord length = 81 -> 89 cm ; Ball diameters = 5.5
-> 6.0 cm ; Weight = 590 gm