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The History and Modern Use of Atlatls
by Atlatls 'N More
11/16/2005
What is an atlatl?
The atlatl is an ancient hunting device used to throw thin spears, called darts. The word atlatl comes from Nuttal's (1891) translation of two Aztec (Nahautl) words... one meaning 'throwing' and the other 'on water.'*
Atlatls were invented at least 20,000 years ago, possibly in several locations and by different cultures. Evidence of their use has been found on all continents, except Antarctica. Their only purpose was to throw pointed projectiles further and with more force than could be thrown by hand. They were the precursors to the bow and arrow and while visually different, both are simple devices using a single point of contact to propel a thin flexible shaft. The point of contact on a bow is the string; on an atlatl it is the spur.
No one is sure how prolific atlatl use was in prehistory, but archaeologists have unearthed evidence that suggests they were used to take big game animals such as mammoth, mastodons and giant bison. If hunting such animals, one would definitely want a weapon that could be lethal from greater distances and featuring increased strike power. Some theorize that over-hunting was largely responsible for the massive extinction of North American and Eurasian mega fauna. If atlatls were the preeminent hunting weapon of our ancestors, as many believe, then their role in human survival cannot be overstated.
When you hear mention of the years during the last Ice Age, it doesn't take much to conjure visions of a vast wilderness fraught with danger, where bands of fur-clad hunters struggled across the rugged glacial rubble while dodging extreme flooding from the melt-off. While there were certainly fierce predators competing with man for natural resources and definitely regions where glacial impact on climate and the landscape were extreme, it often gets overlooked that in other regions, predators weren't as widespread and climate wasn?t much different than it is today.
It's simple to theorize how difficult - or even how easy - certain aspects of life were in prehistory, but based upon the tools left by our ancestors, it is definitely notable that humans were up to the challenge. While mainly stone and bone tools remain, there were vast amounts of others that have been lost due to natural decomposition. Many history enthusiasts are studying, replicating and using these tools to better understand the cultures and people who used them.
The atlatl is one of these tools. Modern study and use of atlatls and darts has provided an enormous amount of information that can fill in some of the blanks in the story of prehistory.
What are the general dimensions of atlatls and darts?
Atlatls - also called woomera, throwing boards, propulsier, estolica, dart throwers, etc - are, generally speaking, not much more than a thin piece of wood with a hook, groove or indentation that is used to throw the dart.
Shape, size and construction material were varied, but the intent and use were quite similar.
In length, atlatls average from between 15 to 30 inches**, though historical data show that some were shorter and a few longer. There are as many atlatl designs as there are throwers and the variety includes rigid or flexible shafts; bone, wood or loop handles; hammer, split-finger or loop grips; grooves, indentations and several types of spurs.
Darts, like atlatls, can be made from many materials and can be quite different in shape, size and length. Design of the stone, bone or wooden tips depended largely on what the darts were being used for, as fishing dart tips were not designed in the same way as dart tips for hunting big game animals.
Darts can be as short or as long as necessary, but a general length of 5 to 8 feet was used historically and works well today. Darts intended for accuracy are usually longer and heavier than ones used for distance. While much depends on the size and strength of the thrower, I recommend that adults throw darts between 6 and 7-and-a-half feet long. Good guidelines for dart length would be that you don't want one shorter than yourself... and that if you can manage to throw one over 6 feet, then do so.
Where are darts thrown today?
Atlatls and darts are still used by some hunter/ gatherer societies even to this day. Fishermen in Mexico and South America, hunters in the Australian outback and members of Inuit tribes in the colder climate of the Arctic region continue to make use of them for a variety of reasons, including cultural heritage and hunting.
Even though a historic hunting weapon, atlatls are emerging as a recreational and competitive sport.
Increasingly, hunters looking for the primitive hunting experience are trying them out. Efforts are underway in several states to get this weapon recognized as a legitimate hunting option. Despite the fact that atlatls were used for thousands of years to take various game animals, our biggest obstacle continues to be that few have ever heard of them.
That is slowly changing as more and more atlatlists join our ranks each year and atlatl associations are formed. By joining one of the many regional atlatl associations you will be able to learn all aspects of this ancient weapon, including design and manufacture, history, throwing techniques and more.
*- from All About The Atlatl by Gary L. Fogelman, Fogelman Publishing Company, 1997
**- from Thunderbird Atlatl