| Accession Number | RELAWM00432A |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Technology |
| Object type | Edged weapon or club |
| Physical description | Steel, Wood |
| Location | Main Bld: First World War Gallery: Sinai Palestine 1917: Beersheba |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Syria |
| Date made | c 1914-1919 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Tribal weapon, Syria
Description
The elongated metal shaft terminates with a hooked end. The shaft is embedded in a wooden knob for locating the weapon in the palm with securing chains.
History / Summary
During the First World War the Australians dubbed this particularly gruesome weapon a ‘throat piercer’, said to be used by the Arabs to settle personal quarrels.
It was collected by the Australian War Records Section (AWRS) in May 1919. The AWRS was formed in May 1917 and was the first tentative step toward what would become the Australian War Memorial museum collection.