The bola is a primitive hunting tool that was originally used by the Chinese, Eskimos and South American Indians. Bolas are a throwing device made of weights that are attached to the ends of interconnected cords, designed to capture animals by entangling their legs. They are most famously used by the South American gauchos. Gauchos used bolas 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 nice example of a functional bola with braided leather cords. Each of the balls has a solid sand matrix or stone interior that is surrounded by a leather pouch. Each pouch is split and then sewn together with attractive black and white braiding. Argentinian theme artwork is drawn on each side of the pouch. One of the balls is slightly smaller than the other two balls, as expected. The leather is soft and not of the type that is usually used for bola construction. This one was most likely made for the tourist industry, but it is probably more rugged than most of the traditional bolas that you find on the market and this one is probably the better choice if you feel that you need to actual throw your bola instead of hanging it on the wall for display. Cord length = 77 -> 83 cm ; Ball diameters = 5.0 -> 6.0 cm ; Weight = 554 gm