http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Bes02Maor-t1-body-d3-d1.html

http://www.nzetc.org/etexts/Bes02Maor/Bes02Maor086a.jpg


Quote:

The whip-thrown spear (tarerarera and whiuwhiu) was not only a missile weapon employed in fighting, but it also provided recreation for youths. The so-called spears were simply unworked rods of manuka, pointed at one end when used as weapons. The butt end was thrust into the ground in a slanting position. The kotaha or whip consisted of a straight rod about four feet in length having a cord attached to it. An old specimen in the British Museum is adorned with a carved design. The free end of the cord was hitched round the spear shaft in a certain manner. The operator, grasping the rod with both hands, now swung it forward with much force, so as to pluck the spear from the earth and propel it forward through the air. As it shot forward the hitched cord was released and the untrammelled spear continued its flight.

Like a Swiss arrow on steroids. I like it!

The answer to "what do you get when you mate an atlatl with a staff sling" ;D

I guess you can't use it on any ground into which the butt end of the spear can't be stuck?  :-/
That's a pretty severe limitation, yes?

You might as well try to use a sling in deep woods!

Nothing to stop you making a simple a frame to lean the spear against if thje ground's too hard :-)

In "The Lance Thrower" by Jack Whyte lances were described which are similar to the one depicted here. Thrown by hand (one handed) using a thong wrapped around the shaft to propel it when thrown. Like a Swiss Arrow (AKA Dutch arrow, Yorkshire arrow, or a Gypsy arrow) on steroids.

yeah we made hand thrown with cords spears when i was a kid.
Like the idea of the two handed thrower though - you could get some real distance with one of those babies.

Curious Aardvark wrote on Oct 19^th, 2008 at 11:31am:

Nothing to stop you making a simple a frame to lean the spear against if thje ground's too hard :-)

Suddenly it's not such an easily portable/deployed weapon, though, right?

I will ask my Daughter about this when I visit her at Christmas as she live near Wellington NZ and has many Mauori Friends

peacefuljeffrey wrote on Oct 20^th, 2008 at 10:31pm:

Suddenly it's not such an easily portable/deployed weapon, though, right?

Oh, I dunno, how hard is it to find a small rock.

More on throwing arrows with a thong: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HlwUo0IccoMC&pg=RA2-PT182&lpg=RA2-PT182&dq=atlatl+dart+thickness&source=web&ots=tOaogy8BDm&sig=ShRdVwd9HF6nnOLcNTxTyd_z9Yw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PRA2-PT181,M1

More arrow-throwing detail: http://www.companionsofthelongbow.co.uk/index_files/Page26358.htm

A kids video about making and throwing a 'French arrow'  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M3WjS3hzXY4

peacefuljeffrey wrote on Oct 17^th, 2008 at 7:58pm:

I guess you can't use it on any ground into which the butt end of the spear can't be stuck?  :-/ That's a pretty severe limitation, yes? You might as well try to use a sling in deep woods!

Just going on sheer intuition, it seems to me that the purpose of planting the butt end in the ground is to make it easier to use quickly.
I've seen English Long-Bow demos where the archers stuck their arrows in the dirt prior to shooting. It wasn't required as part of the shooting process, it was just a developed habbit of ease.

In the case of the two handed stick slingythingy, a bunch of planted spears could be launched very quickly.
Not as quickly thrown on hard ground but still throwable, simply trailed behind the thrower.
Hmmm, I would bet that a spear chucker could chuck as many spears or more than an archer in the same amount of time.

Steven wrote on Oct 19^th, 2008 at 11:54pm:

In "The Lance Thrower" by Jack Whyte lances were described which are similar to the one depicted here. Thrown by hand (one handed) using a thong wrapped around the shaft to propel it when thrown. Like a Swiss Arrow (AKA Dutch arrow, Yorkshire arrow, or a Gypsy arrow) on steroids.

The Romans had similar weapons called amentums. They were javelins with cords wrapped around them. You put your finger in a loop and launched them. They would self rifle as they left your hand. Great for accuracy

slingbadger wrote on Dec 12^th, 2012 at 6:31am:

Steven wrote on Oct 19th, 2008 at 11:54pm: In "The Lance Thrower" by Jack Whyte lances were described which are similar to the one depicted here. Thrown by hand (one handed) using a thong wrapped around the shaft to propel it when thrown. Like a Swiss Arrow (AKA Dutch arrow, Yorkshire arrow, or a Gypsy arrow) on steroids. The Romans had similar weapons called amentums. They were javelins with cords wrapped around them. You put your finger in a loop and launched them. They would self rifle as they left your hand. Great for accuracy

Now that's information I can use here in Florida.
Thanks Mucho!

I think the reason these were stuck in the ground is that the hitching method requires constant tension in order to stay attached.  So, this lets them keep enough tension to keep the hitching attached until it is thrown.