Boomerangs, such as this beautiful example with its finely grooved surface, were primarily crafted by the Tanami and Warlpiri desert people but circulated widely across central and northern Australia through extensive inland trade networks.
They were used for hunting and close combat, but could also be used for ceremonial purposes. Their manufacture, specific to these peoples, made them objects of prestige and exchange, particularly prized in inter-tribal networks: they circulated in particular towards the Arrernte of the MacDonnell Ranges, who did not produce this type of boomerang themselves. Their stylised shape, sometimes associated with animal figures such as birds, reinforced their identity and symbolic value.
Bibliography : Philip Jones, Boomerang. Behind an Australian Icon
Ex Clive Loveless, London
Ex Private Collection, London
Estimated Period: Early 20th Century
H: 78 cm (Custom Mounted)
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