Boomerangs as Retouchers: Aboriginal Australians Used It To Improve Their Tools

In a new study, the researchers examined microscopic traces on the surface of 100 primeval boomerangs from across each state and territory in Australia.

According to the Eva Martellota, lead author of the study entitled "New data from old collections: Retouch-induced marks on Australian hardwood boomerangs," published in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Australian lithic assemblages have a large number of retouched tools.

Martellota, from the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution at Griffith University, worked on this research together with her colleagues.

Describing their research, she said, despite this fact though, material proof for and studies on the retouching tools used to develop these technologies are limited especially when it comes to their "use in percussion retouch."

Also Read: Mental Health Discussions Opens To Aboriginal Communities

Boomerangs as Retouchers

The lead author said that indirect evidence discovered in ethnographic literature proposes that wooden items, particularly boomerangs, were often used as 'retouchers.'

A Sci-News report said, through the use of an approach called 'traceological method,' the study authors were able to see more clearly what tasks the boomerangs were used for in the past, by Aboriginal Australians.

The traceological method, as described in SPEKALI journal is a method that allows archeologists to examine the stone tools in a typological context and to identify their actual use.

Martellota explained not all boomerangs are coming back. Most are used for fighting and hunting purposes, while the running ones are frequently toys of children or used for learning and games purposes.

She added, they found certain marks linked to the shaping of stone tools. Such marks, she elaborated, are not new in archeology. They are said to have been identified on borne fragments as well, in archeological sites in Europe.

Stone Tools' Shape Altered Beginning 500,000 Years Ago

Martellota continued explaining that the Neanderthals utilized them to alter the shape of stone tools, beginning 500,000 years ago.

She said their findings establish the initial 'traceological' identification of hardwood boomerangs being utilized for shaping stone tools in different Aboriginal Australian contexts, not to mention, emphasize the multipurpose nature of everyday tools like boomerangs in the culture of the Aboriginals.

Boomerangs in Australia

According to the National Museum Australia, the boomerang is an internationally recognized symbol of Australia. For the Aboriginals, boomerang is a representation of cultural survival, not to mention a tangible association to their long existence in the continent.

The boomerang is present in the mythology of Aboriginal creation. And for Aboriginal people, this is considered as old as the continent.

The NMA also said that Aboriginal creation myths verify the manner the ancestors are forming Australia's landscape. For them, this wooden object is as old as creation and a sample of the long-lasting strength of Aboriginal culture.

With over 250 different language groups, it seems understandable that boomerang-making differs across Australia.

Essentially, bigger and heavier boomerangs are used by inland and desert people. Meanwhile, lighter ones are thrown by high-country and coastal people. The vast majority of boomerangs, though are of the non-returning kind.

Lastly, the carving and cooling of boomerangs vary across the continent, and the styles of decoration are as varied depending on the individual makers.

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