The most common weapons to be found in the western Pacific were spears, bows, and clubs and axes made of stone and, later, metal. Not all communities made all of these. For example, Solomon Islanders made and fought with clubs but the Mae Enga people of Papua New Guinea did not. Some groups, such as the Ipili and Huli in New Guinea also made pointed daggers from bones of a large flightless bird found in the region called the cassowary. Everyday objects such as lumps of fire wood or fence posts were also used as effective weapons should a fight break out within the clan or village.

Trade in weapons and the materials for making them was significant amongst western Pacific peoples. Weapons made of rare or significant materials were particularly prized. For example in highland New Guinea, some groups made arrow heads out of human arm bones. These had slightly barbed points and so were very hard to remove. They also spread decaying matter into the wound, ensuring it would become infected. Arrow heads were also made from palm wood, bamboo, or slivers of broken glass.