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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheLostSoul" data-source="post: 1672930" data-attributes="member: 21237">The boomerangs found in Scandinavia are not boomerangs at all. It has been proven, both through archaological finds and through ethnological studies, that they are a part of a thrusting harpoon. Just like the harpoons that eskimoes use (at least in Greenland, but I think that their use is widespread).Bows in Scandinavia goes far back into the mesolithicum, with a wide variety in arrowheads. They range from very heavy, to the exquisite neolithic arrowheads. Some of these are just as impressive as our flint daggers. They appear to have been mainly a hunting weapon, but knowledge of warfare in neolithicum is very weak and very discussed.The flint dagger (and to a certain extend, the copper/bronze dagger) were probably the main weapon in neolithic combat. They were at the same time regarded as a status symbol and were often buried with their (presumed) owners and were often sacrificed.The early sword have also been used in combat, but only after the first copper/bronze swords and daggers have made their appearance. There are two main types: The flint edged sword and the flint-carved sword. The flint edged sword had a core of wood or bone and had small pieces of flint compromising the edge. The flint carved swords are extremely rare and is carved using the same techniques that were used to create the famous daggers.Spears and javelins are practically unknown through most of the stone age, but they were appearantly used in the parts of the mesolithic period and late in the neolithic period. The late spearheads are also exquisitely carved.Axes are also very widespread throughout the entire stoneage period. They were used as tools and weapons, as well as for religious purposes. There exist several axeheads that were clearly designed to be sacrificed, as they are too impractical for ordinary use. They were the main status symbol, until the late dagger were introduced.Atlatls are not known directly in Scandinavia, through archaological finds, but their use is presume at least in the mesolithic period. I have no knowledge of their use in later periods, but it cannot be dismissed.In the late neolithic, the stone mace were beginning to get quite common. There are large amounts of heads found in Scandinavia and some show battle damage.There are some finds of bone axes, that can be dated to the neolithic, but they are most known in the mesolithic and even the bronze age.Slings are unknown in the archaological evidence in Scandinavia, though there are some indirect evidence of their use. The primary of these, date to the pre-roman iron age, but I do not doubt that they were used previously.As for rocks? They should be common in all periods. There are reports of the celts using them, along with slings, as siegeweapons, both for defence and for attack. They are also very cheap and quite efficient...If you are interested, I could mail you a few drawings of some of these weapons. I will scan them from our flint "bible," if you so desire. They are copywrited to the author of the book, but you can make some new and approximated versions of them, without problems.</blockquote>

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