638 SLING CONTRIVANCES FOE PROJECTILE WEAPONS. 



around the shaft. In the spear on j)age 12 (next to fig. 1) the long 

 loop is shown qnite near the point, Avhile in the spears of the Dravida 

 and Taniuls, on page 71) (figs. 2 and 3), quite broad flat loops are 

 found at about the center of the spear. 



The second type of projectile noose aids the spear in attaining a 

 forward rotary motion. AVe come upon it in the roller straps of the 

 Greeks and Romans. The spear thong seen with this is called " hasttt 

 nmentata.''' 



The thong spear was originally in use in (ireek gynmasiiuns, then 

 it became a hunting weapon of the northern hunting peoples (.^Etol- 

 ians, Acarnanians, Locrians, Thessalians, Thracians, Scythians, etc.), 

 until it was finally adopted as the universal projectile weapon of the 

 peltasts. It was also sometimes employed by horsemen. Among the 

 Romans it was first adopted through Pyrrhus, and from then on was 

 the standard weapon of the light armed, who carried five to seven. 



The tragula of the Gauls seems also to have been such a strap spear, 

 according to Caesar." It is pictured by numerous writers, as well as 

 in plastic and pictorial illustrations, i. e., in the vase pictures of the 

 British Museum; bronze disk picture of JEg'nm, in Berlin; Etruscan 

 vase (illustrated by Hamilton III, 33) ; pictures on vases copied by 

 O. Jahn, Millingen ; grave pictures from Paestum, copied by Springer 

 (Kunstgeschichten I, p. 115) ; and the slaughter of Alexander, in 

 mosaic. The spear, upon Avhich the strap was buttoned, was probably, 

 with the jDoint, about 4 feet long and but a finger breadth in diameter. 

 The point was usually extremely long, thin, and fine, so that it bent 

 after the first throw, which made it impossible to use it a second time. 

 The thong was narrow, cut from leather, at the most an ell in length, 

 and the ends were usually sewed, buttoned, or buckled together. 

 The strap Avas tightly fastened to the spear by means of a single or 

 double wrapping, back of the center of gravity, therefore at ditlerent 

 parts of the spear, according to the weight of the iron point. In 

 throwing, the noose was drawn taut, whereby the rotation was caused, 

 the strap unwinding itself and revolving the spear lengthwise. The 

 strap remained hanging to the spear, the more seriously injuring 

 the wounded. 



"Csesar: De bello Gallico, V, cap. 48. 



