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Page 63 of 194 < >

Chapter :   Introduction   - Culture

Throwing is or was in many cultures a traditional feature. Solid information is rare.

Stone Age

Throwing is one of the milestones in the evolution of the humans. The reminders of a stone age axe make one wonder: What exactly did these people do with it? Just hammer, or had they more sophisticated handling? If yes, which?

Read an article about the ethymology of the word throwing (Article found by guest author Indianerchristian).

The Indians

Indians are one of the first associations with throwing. But I heard as well, throwing was not much practiced by them, the knives were far too expensive for throwing.

Historic or prehistoric working tomahawk. The handle was fixed in the groove. You can find this stone in the leather shop Most Wanted with it's "Native American Gallery" (www.most-wanted.de ). The text says: Shoshoni-Tomahawk, Bawnok-Tribe. Location: Lioly Hot Springs, Idaho, NW-USA. Found around 1910 by C. Wilson.

Old Ages

The remainders of ancient greek contain many artwork, showing a thrower. Their main god Zeus was responsible for the weather, beside other things. He is sometimes depicted as throwing a thunderbolt down to the earth.

Statuette from Dodona. Zeus, throwing a thunderbold (c.470 B.C.). I fond the picture on the mythology site of Laurel Bowman from the university of Victoria (web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html). The owner of the picture is the University of Haifa (www.haifa.ac.il").

The shape of the above shown thunderbold reminds at a 'newly designed' throwing device, the "Cold Steel Torpedo". You can find a picture of that in the Cold Steel Catalog (coldsteel.com/torpedo.html).

Middle ages

Throwing may be considered as a kind of handicraft archeology. Much handicraft knowledge is lost today. Throwing is a far back reaching traditional art.

The most well known throwing tool was the Francisca, an axe optimized for throwing, used by the Merowingers from about Jear 400 to about Jear 800. Read more about the Francisca in "Appendix (A) Throwing devices - Axes - Francisca".

Today

Knife throwing is practiced in every culture. The number pracitioneers is limited, because of the huge learning amount. I think, this may be the same situation as since several thousand years.

Cinema

In the today civilisation, throwing is not necessary anymore, and it is not practiced much. But nevertheless people do never forget it. In the movies it is always there.

Throwing of course played a roll in Karl May stories. Guest author Artur found a very amusing description of a throwing device with curious flight properties, as they will never be possible. Read the Karl May sample.

Dangergirl with throwing equipment   ® & © 2000 by J. Scott Campbell (www.wildstorm.com) .

Why is throwing never forgotten? Because it expresses a stone age motiv!

Have fun while reading and throwing!

© 2000 - 2003 by Norbert C. Maier   # 20000816.1801