| When boomerangs are mentioned, often people | | | | Gauls and Teutons (considered the French, |
| think of Australia. However, these amazing sticks | | | | Spanish, and Germanic people.) |
| actually predate Australia, having been found in | | | | Historically and currently, boomerangs have been |
| Ancient Egypt and throughout Europe. "The | | | | used for combat. Often a combat boomerang is |
| famed King Tutankhamen of Egypt had an | | | | not intended to return to its user, instead it is |
| extensive collection of boomerangs over 2000 | | | | used as a club or basic throwing stick much like |
| years ago." Australian boomerangs are the most | | | | the ancient cultures first used it. Often |
| famous since they are the best preserved | | | | boomerangs were considered a "weapon of the |
| specimens, some of which are ten thousand | | | | gods" and many cultures from the ancient |
| years old. The oldest boomerang found was in | | | | Babylonian kings to Brazilian sorcerers have used |
| Olazowa Cave in Poland. Made out of a Mammoth | | | | them as "royal badges and signs of favor from |
| tusk, it is has been dated to be about 30,000 | | | | the gods." |
| years old. | | | | According to Wikipedia, "Boomerangs can be |
| Historians are not sure when the first | | | | variously used as hunting weapons, percussive |
| boomerangs were developed, since they require | | | | musical instruments, battle clubs, fire-starters, |
| careful construction to get the delicate balancing | | | | decoys for hunting waterfowl, and as recreational |
| right so the stick will return. They speculate that | | | | play toys." Almost any material can be used to |
| the flat throw stick used by early hunters was | | | | make a boomerang. Wood, metal, carbon fiber, |
| the ancestor of the boomerang and accidentally | | | | plastic, and ivory are all just a few of the textiles |
| "discovered" by a hunter fine-tuning his throw | | | | boomerangs have been made from. In 1997 the |
| stick, probably somewhere in the Orient. Not only | | | | smallest boomerang was thrown by Sadir Kattan |
| used for hunting, the boomerang was a useful | | | | for the Australian National Boomerang |
| weapon for ancient cultures that had yet to | | | | Championships. It measured 1.8 inches long and |
| invent bows and arrows. There is historical | | | | 1.77 inches wide and flew a distance of sixty-five |
| evidence of the Greeks using boomerangs as | | | | and a half feet before returning. The largest |
| weapons, called "clavas" or "stick", it was even | | | | boomerang was made by Gerhard Walter of |
| used by the mighty Hercules in the ancient stories. | | | | Austria in 2008 and was named the "Flying |
| The Romans used spears instead of boomerangs, | | | | Bigfoot - Highlander." This boomerang measured |
| but they have records of fighting against the | | | | 8.49 feet and flew over twenty-five meters. |