Guinean Middle Fly River Arrow with Hook

Needle-sharp tip, wrapped at the joint, on a shaft striped red and black.

This Middle Fly River arrow with a hook, of bamboo and pigment is from Papua New Guinea. Bamboo is light, straight and strong, which makes it well suited to arrow shafts, and makers often add pigment and carved or barbed tips for hunting and fishing. Slender pointed head in pale brown, bound at the base with a band of fibre and a small pale blade-like piece. Below it the shaft is painted in red and black bands with incised black zigzag marks. The photo shows only the upper part. It is 64.5 inches high.

Sharp at one end, and carefully painted at the other.