Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


74 - Fijian Hardwood Throwing Club, 19th Century

A nice example of the ula drisia (ball-headed throwing club) appearing to have been formed from a single piece of wood consistent with a root bulb. The head is smooth and well-patinated and more in the shape of an onion than a perfect sphere with natural defects in the wood sometimes associated with old, stable cracks which are also present on the shaft adjacent to the head. The end of the handle has nice hand-worked carved decoration that acknowledges a narrow crack. Lew dated this example to the 1870s. Overall length is 16 inches with a weight of 24½ ounces.


Fijian Throwing Club ula drisia

Fijian Throwing Club ula drisia

Fijian Throwing Club ula drisia

Fijian Throwing Club ula drisia

Fijian Throwing Club ula drisia

Fijian Throwing Club ula drisia



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