Throwing stick

The throwing stick or throwing club is a type of projectile weapon: a wooden rod with either a carved pointed tip, a heavy bulbous rounded head, or a spearhead or other metal fitting attached to one end, intended for use by throwing and especially for hunting. Throwing sticks or clubs are likely among the earliest weapons and tools made and used by humans, first appearing in prehistory due to their simplicity and ease of production from common materials—chiefly various types of wood. Numerous forms and styles of throwing sticks have been developed across many cultures over millennia, showcasing a wide range of shapes and appearances depending on their place and culture of origin. Generally speaking, throwing sticks are either straight or roughly boomerang-shaped, and are typically much shorter than javelins. The throwing stick became obsolete as slings and bows became more prevalent, except on the Australian continent, where the native people continued refining the basic design. Throwing sticks shaped like returning boomerangs are designed to fly straight to a target at long ranges, their surfaces acting as airfoils. When tuned correctly they do not exhibit curved flight, but rather fly on an extended straight flight path. Straight flight ranges greater than 100 m (330 ft) have been reported for certain throwing sticks by historical sources as well as in recent research.