- The
Atlatl
- (Last modified on 11 July 2007)
-
- The atlatl is a device that is used to throw a light weight
spear called a dart with considerable mechanical advantage.
Atlatls were widely used world wide before the advent of the bow
and arrow. Atlatl (pronounced like 'atlantic') is an Aztec word
for spear thrower. In Australia, the Aborigines call it the
Woomera. The oldest known atlatl is more than 19,000 years old. It
is believed that the atlatl was in use for more than 40,000 years.
With the atlatl, humans gained a tremendous hunting advantage and
this accelerated the extinction of many large mammals throughout
the world. The power that the atlatl imparts to the spear is so
great that the Aztecs started reusing atlatl technology to pierce
the armor of Spanish Conquistadoras in the sixteenth century.
Today, many people are rediscovering the atlatl for the
recreational purposes of competition and hunting game. Competition
involves the following events: long distance; accuracy and target
throwing. Some competitions are restricted to the use of primitive
materials and technologies. Other competitions allow the use of
modern high tech materials and construction methods.
The World Record for long distance currently stands at 848.56
feet. This throw was made by Dave Ingvall of St. Joseph, Missouri,
USA on 15 July 1995 in Aurora, Colorado. Dave used a carbon fibre
atlatl with an aluminum dart of his own construction.-
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Useful Atlatl Resources
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- Atlatl Internet
Links | Throwers
| Manufacturers |
Literature | Calendar
of Events
-
Atlatl Throwers and
Associations
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- World Atlatl
Association ; Michigan
Atlatl Association ; Minnesota
Atlatl Association ; California
Atlatl Association ; Missouri
Atlatl Association ; Ohio
Atlatl Association ; Pennsylvania
Atlatl Association ; Tyoga
Atlatl Association ; Chautauqua
Spears Atlatl League
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- To find other Atlatl Throwers in your region, please
visit the Internet
Directory of Atlatl Clubs and throwers
-
Photos of atlatls: Equipment
| Competition | Hunting
You can purchase sporting atlatls and reproductions of
ethnographic atlatl dart points from flight-toy on the lithic
& artifact reproduction link. There are also several
authentic Australian Aboriginal atlatls, called woomera or miru on
the Australia Ethnographic link.
Back to: flight-toys.com | Primitive
Technology | contact: Ted
Bailey