A Scheme of Evolution for Throwing Sticks.

Prehistoric wooden projectiles likely have a complex evolutionary story in a similar way to stone tools, depending on their functions, and the cognitive and physical capabilities of hominins who used them. The technologies of some ancient projectiles (e.g., spears, arrows) can be studied more directly because they were equipped with stone points which survive archaeologically, but other implements made entirely of wood are extremely rare archaeological finds and need an indirect study of their ethnological diversity to try to shed light on their evolution. The evolution of throwing sticks is often restricted to the invention of boomerangs which, as returning objects, have fascinated Europeans, particularly since the early 19th century colonisation of Australia. However, the innovation of returning boomerangs is probably relatively recent, compared to their entire technological evolution. The resulting technological diversity of forms through time is reflected in the different morphological types of ethnological throwing sticks found on the Australian continent but is also present in other parts of the world. A scheme of evolution for throwing sticks is proposed here, according to the technology that can be observed on numerous ethnological objects studied in museum collections, and experience gained from throwing replicas, which allow us to distinguish different development phases for these projectiles. Surprisingly, Aboriginal people's myths can sometimes also shed light on the origins of Australian throwing sticks. Indeed, one of the most famous myths of the invention of boomerangs (Thomas, 1985) explains that it was an old man, forced to bend down at the creation of the world, because the sky and earth were too close, who planted his stick in the ground and pushed the sky away. His stick became bent after that, and he decided to keep it with him when he threw it away and saw how it could fly and return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]