The University of Nebraska State Museum is brandishing more than 9,000 years of brutal, beautiful weaponry.

The new sharp and shiny exhibit, "Weapons Throughout Time," boasts bows, knives and guns, ranging from the functionally austere to the extravagantly baroque. From blowguns to canons, arrowheads to Derringers. Amazonian blow darts, Zulu hunting spears, Japanese armor, ceremonial swords, clubs, shields, helmets, crossbows, boomerangs and bayonets.

These are weapons from many times and many places serving countless functions.

"This is very different from what we've done in the past," said Susan Curtis, anthropology division staff and one of the exhibit's curators. "The idea started germinating in 2003 when we realized we had this wonderful weapon collection that doesn't get seen very often."

This exhibit came together through several donors and lenders, including Gary Muckel and the Grand Lodge Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Nebraska.

Curtis said the focus of the exhibit is to illustrate the many uses for weapons, not just combat.

"It's easy to think of them only as aggressive objects made for war," she said. "But mankind couldn't have survived without weapons. We need them for defense. We need them to eat."

Each item says something about the culture that produced it, she said - what their needs were, their technological capabilities and artistic sensibilities at the time. When you look at dozens of cultures across a 9,500-year time span, you see the common needs of diverse cultures and the recurring themes of humanity's story.

"I hope what people come away with from this exhibit," she said, "is how cultures are very similar when we look at their weapons and tools."

Reach Micah Mertes at 473-7395 or mmertes@journalstar.com.