Atlatl

\nThe atlatl is a weapon that uses leverage to achieve greater speed in spear-throwing. \nIt consists of a shaft with a hook, in which the butt of the spear rests. \nIt is held near the far end from the cup, and the spear is thrown by action of upper arm and wrist. Some later improvements on the original design included loops of thong to fit the fingers. Wooden spears were known at least since the Middle Palaeolithic (Schöningen, Torralba, Clacton-on-Sea and Kalammbo-Falls). They could be used up to distances of about 15 m with enough power to hurt or kill an animal. \nThe atlatl is believed to have been in use since the Upper Palaeolithic (late Solutréen, ca. 18,000-16,000 BC). Most stratified European finds come from the Magdalenian (late upper Palaeolithic). \nIn this period, elaborate pieces, often in the form of animals are common. \nWith a spearthrower, effective distances of up to 30 m could be reached. In Europe, the atlatl was replaced by the bow and arrow in the Epi-Palaeolithic. The atlatl has been used by early Native Americans as well. It seems to have been introduced during the immigration across the Bering-strait already. \nThe word atlatl is derived from a Nahuatl (the Aztec language) word for spearthrower. The Aztecs used spearthrowers in warfare. \nInuit and the tribes of the Northwestcoast utilized them in historical times as well. Complete wooden spearthrowers have been found on dry sites in the Western USA and as waterlogged wood in Florida and Washington state. The people of New Guinea and Australian Aborigines used spearthrowers as well. The common name on Australia is given as woomera. In modern times, some people have resurrected the spearthrower for sports, throwing either for distance and/or for accuracy. \nThrows of almost 260 m (850 ft.) have been recorded. \nThere are numerous tournaments, with spears and spearthrowers built with both ancient and with modern materials.

External links

\n* http://www.nps.gov/amis/eatlatl.htm has a good picture depicting use of the atlatl.\n* http://users.aol.com/tbprim1/Atlatl.html has a brief description and many links, mostly about modern atlatl throwing as sport.\n* http://rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca/hhistory/atlatl/atlatl.html about the history of the sprearthrower in the New World.

Literature

\n* D. Garrod, Palaeolithic spear throwers. Proc. Prehist. Soc. 21, 1955, 21-35.\n* U. Stodiek, Zur Technik der jungpaläolithischen Speerschleuder (Tübingen 1993).