This large Woomera (spear thrower or atlatl) was made 40-60 years ago by Aborigines in the tropical north of Australia. This type of spear thrower is often used for spear fishing and is the type that Aborigines use when they hunt sea mammals or large surface fish. The knotched wooden peg is tied on one end and the binding is sealed in a tar like substance, sometimes employing resins from the Spinifex grasses. The handle end has a pair of bivalve shells attached with a resin matrix supporting the shell handle. This Cape York style woomera is in very good condition. Some of the resin seal has flaked off of the binding of the peg and at the base of the handle near the shell. One of the bivalve shells is intact but loose from the resin matrix and can easily be reattached with some epoxy. This style of woomera is a very desireable collectable. Length = 97 cm. Weight = 706 gm