176 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



SPEARS WITH INCISED ORNAMENT. 

 By R. Etheridge, Junr., Curator. 



In 1897, I fully described* an Australian Spear with incised 

 ornament, extending nearly the whole length of the weapon. I 

 further commented on the rarity of this form of sculpture amongst 

 Aboriginal spears, and the general absence of illustrations in 

 works of reference. In working through the store collection of 

 Ethnology, I met with four additional examples, so far similar, 

 that nearly the entire surfaces are covered with ornamental 

 incisions, but all differing in the motive, and three of them greatly 

 so, from the spear referred to. 



The first is of the same length as the already described specimen, 

 viz., eleven feet nine inches, but lacks the colour bands near the 

 point or apex. The serpentine longitudinal grooves are five 

 instead of six in number, and extend from within two feet three 

 inches of the point, and nine inches of the butt. The grooves are 

 toothed in a similar manner, but instead of the serrations looking 

 backwards, i.e., towards the butt, they are presented forwards 

 towards the point of the weapon ; furthermore, the interstices 

 between the serpentine grooves are occupied by V-shaped and 

 bird's feet {" broad arrow ") incisions, or simple oblique nicks, 

 arranged with a certain degree of order, like with like. The 

 ornament at the butt is finished off" by four feather-like incised 

 tags, consisting of a central groove margined by oblique nicks, 

 reminding one of the feathered shaft of an arrow. This spear is 

 said to have come from the Paroo River District, but from which 

 side of the border I am unable to say. 



The three remaining spears are much shorter weapons, being 

 each a trifle over seven feet in length. On the first the sculpture 

 is spiral, consisting of two bands, extending from the butt to within 

 two feet of the point. The bands are each defined by two grooves, 

 the interspaces being cross incised, thus giving them greater 

 prominence and eftect, but the apical two feet is variously occupied. 

 First, proceeding upwards from the termination of the spiral 

 bands, a rude representation of the human form is seen, with 

 one arm only, and above this an oval body, both infilled with 

 cross incisions. These are succeeded by sundry serpentine and 

 meandering bands similar to the spiral already described. The 

 interspaces are occupied by V-shaped incisions, oblique nicks, and 

 what not. 



* Eec. Aust. Mus., iii., 1, 1897, p. 6. 



