Native American Atlatl

An atlatl is a stick that propels a dart or a spear used by Eskimos and early Native Americans. There is a handle on one end and a hook or socket on the other were the spear or dart is held. The term atlatl comes from the Aztecs who were the first culture to actually write down this term. In modern time we use the expression throwing stick, throwing board, or even speer sling the problem is that these names do not just pertain to an atlatl. Throughout the years there are many cultures that have use this piece of technology including the Aztecs, Eskimos, early Germans, Russians, and the Ancient Egyptians. (Questions 1, 2, and 3) As the Atlatl is accelerated forwards the dart or spear flexes and is compressed then is launched forwards at at
The Eskimos design is not very long, wide and has the spur embedded in the atlatl itself. The southern native americans design is very long, skinny and has the spur mounted up above the atlatl itself. The major difference between american and European atlatls is that the European has a rest of the arrow at one end of the atlatl. This rest causes the arrow to be thrown more accurate. It also causes the arrow to be more stable because it isn't just your hand holding the arrow up. Over time metal tools have taken over the making of atlatls. However in the original atlatls had arrowheads made of flint, atlatls were only made out of hardern wood, they could get rid of as much material so the atlatl were longer, and they also didn't add a place for them to rest their arrow so they had to hold the arrow on the atlatl. (Questions
Aboriginal spear thrower is an Australian atlatl that is designed to be very flat and has decorative carving on one side. It is looked to be used because of the ware on it and there is a chip out of it. Also from Australia a carved woomera was found. It is carved in a zigzag pattern it also has a flint cutting tool on the end. This flint makes the woomera a multi purpose tool and shows that it probably was once used for something. The Facsimile was found in the cave of Le Mas d'Azil, Ariege in 1940. Carved out of one piece of antler there is a young ibex on one end of it. Judging by how small it is and the design on it I don't think that it was used for one purpose. The propulseur with the hyena is a known historical atlatl but there is only recreation because the hyena found was not connected to the atlatl because of this it is hard to know whether the original atlatl was used. The Broken Roof Cave atlatl is unique in the way that there is a moonstone charm just above the loops of the handle. Even with this stone this atlatl has been known to of been used.(Question 18) There is lack of atlatls and bows in the Tlingit cultures all over the southeast Alaska. This is because the majority of the Tlingit diet is based off of salmon and berries there for not needing altal and bows as much. Tlingit atlatls had intricate designs on the sides on them and do not have many signs of use on them. This leads you to