1908] on Ancient and Medmval Weapons. 317 



be cast a hundred paces or more, would have a very decided advantage 

 over men who could but throw then* spears to only half this distance. 



There were three methods by which the range and force of a 

 missile spear were greatly increased. 



The Greeks and Romans employed two of these methods. One 

 method was by lashing a loop of soft leather to the shaft of the spear 

 at its l)alancing point. The spear was held lightly in a horizontal 

 position, and the first finger being placed in the loop bestowed the 

 propelling power — a power that continued to be exerted till the loop 

 became disengaged from the finger, as the spear sped forward. 



The disadvantage of this method in warfare was the fact that the 

 enemy could hurl back the spear in the same manner as it was thrown, 

 as the means by which it was propelled were attached to it, and thus 

 equally available to friend or foe. 



The second method was much more effective, though slower in 

 use. In this case a long thong of pliable hide was utilised. The 

 thong had a knot at one end and a small loop at the other. The 

 knotted end was hitched round the spear at about its centre of length. 

 The thrower grasped the spear near its head, with his first finger 

 inside the loop of the thong — the thong being stretched taut between 

 knot and finger. As the spear was cast, the finger in the loop jerked 

 hard at the thong, and continued to exert its force, even after the 

 missile had left the hand, or till the moment when the thong was 

 extended forward, and the knot hitched round the shaft of the spear 

 dropped off it as a result. 



In this case the soldier retained the thong in his hand ready for 

 another spear ; and the spear he had thrown could not be cast back 

 by an enemy, unless the latter had a suitable thong of his own for 

 the purpose. 



The principle of the ancient thong and spear is now practised in 

 West Yorkshire with a willow wand and a short piece of cord. 



In this Riding, frequent competitions with the wand I refer to are 

 held, sometimes before several thousand people, chiefly miners. The 

 object is to throw the wand, which is about a yard in length and the 

 thickness of a lead pencil, farther than can some rival in the sport. 

 Throws of from 300 to 320 yards are not unusual, and a throw of 

 360 yards has been recorded. This gives us some idea of the force 

 with which the light spear or javelin of the ancients was probably 

 cast by means of a thong. 



The third method of casting a spear is with a throwing-stick. 

 This system was not practised by the Greeks or Romans, but is now 

 common to various native races, such as those of Australia, New 

 Zealand, Central America, and the sub-Arctic and Arctic regions, 

 though not in Europe, Asia and Africa, where the more powerful 

 and useful bow has always existed. 



Throwing -sticks, wherever used, are always identical in action. 

 The implement consists of a narrow strip of wood, some two feet in 



