Boomerang

Boomerang, missile used chiefly by the Aboriginal Australians as a weapon and for sport. Made of hard wood, it is roughly V-shaped, with arms slightly skewed. The angle between the arms ranges from 90° to about 160°. Both edges of the arm are sharpened; one surface is flat and the other slightly convex.

The return boomerang, which normally returns to the thrower, is about 30 to 75 cm (about 12 to 30 in) in length and is used for sport and for hunting small birds. Held vertically in the right hand, it is thrown spinning, on a line parallel to the ground. The missile flies at the same level; then it inclines to its flat side, rises, curves to the left, and, still curving, glides back to the thrower. Throws of more than 91 m (300 ft) have been made with this type of boomerang.

The nonreturn boomerang, straighter, heavier, and ranging in length from 61 to 91 cm (24 to 36 in) is used in war and for hunting large game. With it the Aboriginal people can fatally injure an enemy or bring down game at a distance of 152 m (500 ft).

Various groups of northeastern Africa, the Hopi people of Arizona, and certain peoples of southern India use missiles similar to the boomerang.