UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!!
Arrow and spear points, knife blades, scrapers, drills and many other implements and weapons are made of flint, chert, quartz or some other hard stone that could be chipped or flaked. Bone is also used to make knives and points. Axes, hammers and mauls are made of stone or bone and are grooved for the fitting of wooden handles. Awles, needles, shuttles and other implements and tools are made of bone. The elves' pottery is made of clay, moulded into the desired form by Clayshaper and hardened by fire. Beads, earrings and many other ornaments are made of bone, stone/pebbles/crystals, mussel shells, wood, ceramics, clay, fur, leather, and sometimes, plant matter.
|
|
|
|
Weapon Types
Blowgun
Bola/bolo
Bow
Great Axe
Hand Axe
Javelin
Knives
Shot-thrower
Sling
Spear
Spearthrower/Atlatl
Staff
Staff-sling
Stone-thrower
Throwing Arrow
Weapon Descriptions
Blowgun: Made of bamboo, cane, or large reeds, rarely but occasionally made of ivory. Very efficient for hunting small, come in many lengths and calibers, each used for a different purpose. When hunting arborial prey, a 8' to 10' blowgun is used to get the dart up 100' or more. For small game a blowgun 3' to 6' is used. Darts are not always tipped with poison.
Bola/Bolo: Was invented when a hunter discovered a rock could be cast farther with more accuracy and more velocity than it could by hand, if it had a cord or thong tied to it. Bolas come in various weights, measurements, and number of balls, depending on the size of the game. The larger, single ball bola can be used to crush the skulls of prey (mace-like), and the smaller, mutli-balled bola are used as weapons of entanglement.
Bow:
Javelin: Resembles a small light-weight spear and can be cast with amazing accuracy at a distance of 30 to 50 yards. Sometimes hunters attach a leather thong to the center of their javelins. By placing a forefinger in the thong, the speed of the cast is accelerated. A javelin is usually 5' to 6' long and features a bone or stone blade.
Great Axe: Heavy and difficult to use, demanding great strength as well as good balance. Its length and weight require sweeping motions and a two-handed grip. When it connects it is capable of impressive damage. The blade(s) is/are constructed for slashing, which the weapon accomplishes with good effect, but the sheer weight of the head also contributes a great deal of crushing damage. Made of stone or bone and lashed to a wooden handle.
Hand Axe:
Knives:
Shot-thrower: Basically an extension to the arm, it is a bamboo sling. It is simple to use and with a little practice, it can be fairly effective. The shaft a piece of cane or bamboo and is 1 1/2" in diameter and about 30" long. It has a centered hole to 9/16" on one end. To use, simply load with pea gravel or small shot. There needs to be a wad inside the bamboo to keep shot in place. Then cast with a whip motion, holding the thrower so barrel is to your head. It is great on small game and with a little practice, fairly accurate. A good first weapon for cubs.
Sling: For hunting small game. It is simple to make, but to be accurate it takes practice. They can be made for long, mid, or short range. The construction is of leather or cordage. The cradle is usually made of leather and attached to two equal length strings of cord or sinew with a finger loop on one end. The slinger loads a small, smooth stone into the cradle and then procedes to swing the weapon in circles, sighting on the target. Once the desired velocity is reached, the slinger lets go of one cord and the stone flies free, hopefully hitting it's intended mark.
Spear:
Spearthrower/Atlatl: With it a hunter could kill any large game, including a Serpentnose (Mammoth), from a safe distance. It is a fairly simple weapon, made from a tree branch about 1 1/2" thick and about 20-31" in length, remaining smaller branches are removed. If there is a protruding hook it is left on to engage the blunt end of the dart that is recessed to engage the spear or dart shaft. If there is not a natural hook, one can be made from a piece of wood, bone or antler and lashed firmly into place. The finished spearthrower somewhat resembles a crochet hook. Some spearthrowers utilize a socket in place of the hook to help retain the dart. The hunter can cast the dart forward 100 times faster than he/she can by simply throwing it by hand.
Staff:
Staff-sling: A sling of heavier weight. It is attached to a shaft 24" to 4' long in which the slinger can cast heavier stones. The pouch is larger than a standard sling, with shorter straps.
One of the straps is attached about 8" below the top of the shaft. The second is then slipped into a notch on the tip of the shaft. Other types have a loose loop over the top of the shaft. When used the second strap flies off thus releasing the projectile. Staff-slings are used basically as a fortification weapon, but they are also great for flushing out game and hunting as well.
Stone-thrower: Another sling of sorts and basically the same construction as the shot thrower, only larger in diameter. Made of cane or bamboo 1 1/2" to 2" in diameter with cuts from the bottom of the node and cross cut down to the next node to make "fingers". Glue is applied to the fingers to make the weapon more sturdy. To load, find a rounded rock of the right size and push it into the fingers as far as it will go. The stone thrower is then cast in the same method as the shot thrower using a whip like action. The thrower will release the projectile just below the shoulders, if done correctly.
Throwing Arrow: Looks like a giant arrow and is great for hunting game, either on foot or wolfback. The arrow is 5' to 6' long and 1" to 1 1/2" in diameter. It has goose wing feathers for fletching and a sharpened bone or stone spike. The balance point of the throwing arrow is a rawhide grip attached with sinew. This is an extremely deadly weapon.
Graphics by Gulf Mystery Design
Special thanks goes to Bob Booth for his collection of primitive weapons and all the research he has done and shared with the mass populace.
