The whole motion is very realistic. I tried slinging on my knees too. It is some kind of tricky but possible and with some training you certainly shoot as good as standing on the feet. I suppose that from this position one wouldn't through successfully with a spear, because with that you need much more motion of the arms.

This statue shows the slinger in a position he would prrbably take in the heat of a close range fight where shelter is of the essence. Unfortunately it is not clear for what purpose the statue was made and for what environment it was foreseen. The statue is said to be found in Rome, but the only fact we know about it is that it was bought 1909 from an art or antiques trader. By conclusion from the style it is an Italian piece of the 3. century before Christ but it might be from 1. century before Christ as well.

Encouraged by my success of scanning yesterday I add here a trial of reconstruction of the possible original shape (drawing: Dietmar Kup) which I found in the same article. The shield is a celtic form because the slinger is identified by the "torques" and helmet as celtic. The drawing expresses in a very realistic way how the warrior can prepare the shot behind his shield.

funda iucunda

CA,

the statue held not only a shield in its left hand (what was indicated by remains of bronce and solder) but still holds a biconic shaped object of the size of a sling stone. That was the reason why in the majority of publications regarding this statue is interpreted as a slinger. The position of the sling itself in the reconstuction is a mere assumption. But it would be interesting to get a closer look to the right hand of the original, because the reconstruction shows the release end lying on the hand. So this string might be visible on the hand.
Unfortunately I won't get soon to Berlin but I feel I have to schedule a stop in that museum when I once come along.

funda iucunda

i think we can safely say that that's not a statue of a slinger. ..... merry christmas!

funda_iucunda wrote on Dec 9^th, 2007 at 3:58pm:

that picture had german at the bottom, i can read it, yay (it was worth making the post about).

He looks like a spear chucker too!!   You loose your mobility if you are kneeling to sling. That makes you a nice stationary target, shield or no shield. Fire and move, fire and move.

axon50,

before you go celebrating christmas, please give more reason for your assumption. The position of the fingers of the right hand is the most vage because the fotos are not very detailed in this point.


bigkahuna,

I thought about a spear too. But a spear would be even more cumbersome to throw from a kneeling position. With a spear it would be rather the use as a lance tossed against the enemy. But fencing with a spear in a kneeling position would be the sure death.
I don't agree that the modern rule of "fire and move" is applicable to ancient warfare. Fighting next to each other in big "blocks" does not allow quick moves. That is only possible on a modern battlefield where there is much space around each combattant, tank etc. The shield would not fit to Fire and move because thats a rule when sufficient shelter is not available. As we know the antique shields where pretty sufficient and worth to carry their weight. If "fire and move" would apply the whole statue wouldn't have made any sense in its time.

funda iucunda

Hmmm... Very interesting pieces of work...

The sketch shows what would appear to be a retention loop around the base of his thumb. I haven't seen one of those before, and it doesn't seem like it would be very practical. 

*modification* Or is it just the fold of his thumb?