What is the purpose of the atlatl?
Fast Facts: Atlatl The atlatl or spearthrower is a hunting technology which was invented at least 17,000 years ago by Upper Paleolithic humans in Europe. Atlatls give additional velocity and thrust compared to spear-throwing, and they allow the hunter to stand farther away from the prey.
What is an atlatl made of?
Atlatl Display, Gold Museum of Bogota, Colombia. Carl & Ann Purcell / Getty Images. An atlatl is a slightly curved piece of wood, ivory, or bone, measuring between 5 and 24 inches (13–61 centimeters) long and between 1–3 in (2–7 cm) wide.
What does atlatl mean in English?
In Nahuatl, Atlatl means “spear thrower”. The use of the tool, however, dates far before the Aztec Empire (1345 – 1521 AD). It was used at least 17,000 years ago during Europe’s Upper Paleolithic era. Other examples of the Atlatl have been found in Australia, Asia, and North and South America.
What is the atlatl spear used for?
The Atlatl Spear is a historically significant weapon that was arguably essential to human evolution. It was a faster, easier tool to use for hunting. This use has subsided in recent years, but the Atlatl can still easily be made for distance competitions and archaeological field testing.
How far can an atlatl be thrown?
An atlatl dart can be thrown with the same penetrating power as an arrow shot from a 50-pound-draw longbow. Hunting and target range is typically 10 to 30 yards, but the world-record throw is over 848 feet.
How fast can you throw a spear with an atlatl?
The atlatl is simply a small spear-throwing device that provides leverage to throw an approximately 5-foot-long dart as fast as 80 or 90 miles per hour.
Why does an atlatl work?
The technology of an atlatl is that of a lever, or rather a system of levers, which together combine and increase the force of the human overhand throw. The flipping motion of the thrower's elbow and shoulder in effect adds a joint to the thrower's arm.
How accurate is an atlatl?
Atlatls are much more accurate than spears at any range. As for the bow/arrow — Atlatl darts are like giant arrows. They're 3-10 times the weight of an arrow, but they aren't nearly as accurate as an arrow except at short ranges like 10-20 meters. A lot of atlatlists are almost as accurate as archers at close range.
Which Indian tribe used the atlatl?
0:125:05Cherokee Traditions: Atlatl - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd really uh the the first atlatls uh they did throw spears because atlatl in the aztec. LanguageMoreAnd really uh the the first atlatls uh they did throw spears because atlatl in the aztec. Language means spear thrower.
What Native Americans used atlatl?
The Atlatl were commonly used by the Pueblo and Creek Native American tribes in the Southwestern area of America for hunting deer, elk, rabbit and bears.
Did Romans use atlatls?
In the United States, the Nahuatl word atlatl is often used for revived uses of spear-throwers (or the Mayan word hul'che); in Australia, the Dharug word woomera is used instead. The ancient Greeks and Romans used a leather thong or loop, known as an ankule or amentum, as a spear-throwing device.
Can I hunt with an atlatl?
Currently only two states, Missouri and Alabama, allow people to use atlatls for deer hunting. A handful of other states also permit the use of the atlatl for taking small game or nuisance animals. But most states are sitting on any proposals to legalize the spear-thrower due to doubts over its effectiveness.
Were atlatls used in warfare?
During the wars, Aztecs made use of a wide range of weapons, including many different kinds of spears. A unique weapon used by Aztecs in their fight was a special spear thrower called atlatl. Atlatl was used in a single hand-grab and allowed an Aztec warrior to throw his spear with more force, speed and accuracy.
What type of ammunition is used with an atlatl?
Atlatls are a new type of ranged weapon introduced by the Polarities Mod. They use seeds and darts as ammunition similarly to the Blowpipe and its variants, but use a broadsword-like swinging animation to fire them, launching the projectile from above the player's head at the peak of its arc.
How long should an atlatl dart be?
A typical length for an atlatl is 18″–24″, although some have been found as short as 6″ (in California) and as long as 48″ (in Australia). Length is mostly a matter of personal preference, but it needs to fit the length of your arm and of the dart you're throwing.
Which came first the atlatl or the bow?
Atlatls are ancient weapons that preceded the bow and arrow in most parts of the world and are one of humankind's first mechanical inventions. The word atlatl (pronounced AT-lat-uhl) comes from the Nahuatl language of the Aztec, who were still using them when encountered by the Spanish in the 1500s.
How to make an Atlatl thrower?
To make an Atlatl thrower (and the corresponding spear) you will need at least two tree branches of moderate length, feathers, scissors, string, glue, and some sort of carving tool. Follow these steps to make a wooden Atlatl Spear.
Where did the Atlatl come from?
History. The name Atlatl comes from the Aztec language, Nahuatl. In Nahuatl, Atlatl means “spear thrower”. The use of the tool, however, dates far before the Aztec Empire (1345 – 1521 AD).
How to use leverage in throwing?
The leverage it gives you for throwing is unparalleled. You grip it the same you would be holding a baton. Then grip the Atlatl with the spear holding the spear at eye level. After aiming at your target, lead with your opposite leg putting all your weight in a dropping movement forward.
What should the Atlatl thrower be made of?
The branches should be of sturdy wood, not too young or pliable, but also not too old or decayed. The Atlatl thrower should be made of a slightly curved branch. The spear, of course, should be straighter and narrower than the thrower. It should be able to fit inside a notch in the Atlatl.
What is an Atlatl spear?
The Atlatl Spear, or just the Atlatl, is the name of several pre-modern tools associated with spear throwing. It’s basically a piece of bone, ivory, or wood that is slightly curved. It is usually about five to twenty-four inches long and about one to three inches wide. It has a hooked or indented end.
How long is an atlatl?
The Atlatl is used for spear-throwing, usually three to eight feet in length. By resting the spear in the Atlatl, pulling the throwing arm back, and then releasing the spear, the Atlatl acts as a lever and an extension of the throwing arm.
Where to carve a notch on an Atlatl thrower?
Adjust your carving as necessary. Step 3: Carve the Notch. The notch of the Atlatl thrower should go on the end of the convex side of the curved (and carved) branch. In other words, if you hold up the branch lengthwise and it looks like a shallow hill, carve the notch at the base of the hill — at the end of the stick.
What Is A Spearthrower?
How to...
- The motion used by the thrower is similar to that of an overhand baseball pitcher. The thrower holds the atlatl handle in the palm of her hand and pinches the dart shaft with her fingers. Balancing both behind her ear, she pauses, pointing with her opposite hand toward the target; and then, with a movement as if she were pitching a ball, she flings the shaft forward allowing it to sl…
Earliest Atlatls
- The earliest secure information concerning atlatls comes from several caves in France dated to the Upper Paleolithic. Early atlatls in France are works of art, such as the fabulous example known as "le faon aux oiseaux" (Fawn with Birds), a 20 in (52 cm) long carved piece of reindeerbone decorated with a carved ibex and birds. This atlatl was recovered from the cave site of La Mas d’…
Modern Atlatl Use
- The atlatl has lots of fans today. The World Atlatl Associationsponsors the International Standard Accuracy Contest (ISAC), a competition of atlatl skill held in small venues all over the world; they hold workshops so if you'd like to learn how to throw with an atlatl, that's where to start. The WAA keeps a list of world champions and ranking master atlatl throwers. The competitions have also …
Study History
- Archaeologists began to recognize atlatls in the late 19th century. The anthropologist and adventurer Frank Cushing [1857–1900] made replicas and may have experimented with the technology; Zelia Nuttall wrote about Mesoamerican atlatls in 1891, and anthropologist Otis T. Mason[1838–1908] looked at Arctic spear throwers and noticed that they were similar to those …
Sources
- Angelbeck, Bill, and Ian Cameron. "The Faustian Bargain of Technological Change: Evaluating the Socioeconomic Effects of the Bow and Arrow Transition in the Coast Salish Past." Journal of Anthropol...
- Bingham, Paul M., Joanne Souza, and John H. Blitz. "Introduction: Social Complexity and the Bow in the Prehistoric North American Record." Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, an…
- Angelbeck, Bill, and Ian Cameron. "The Faustian Bargain of Technological Change: Evaluating the Socioeconomic Effects of the Bow and Arrow Transition in the Coast Salish Past." Journal of Anthropol...
- Bingham, Paul M., Joanne Souza, and John H. Blitz. "Introduction: Social Complexity and the Bow in the Prehistoric North American Record." Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews22.3 (...
- Cain, David I., and Elizabeth A. Sobel. "Sticks with Stones: An Experimental Test of the Effects of the Atlatl Weight on Atlatl Mechanics." Ethnoarchaeology 7.2 (2015): 114–40. Print.
- Erlandson, Jon, Jack Watts, and Nicholas Jew. "Darts, Arrows, and Archaeologists: Distinguishing Dart and Arrow Points in the Archaeological Record." American Antiquity79.1 (…
