What is an atlatl weight?

The atlatl weight magnifies the amount of energy stored in the flexible dart shaft from the beginning of the throw to the final phases – thus increasing the final velocity. Put another way – the stone weight tunes the atlatl flex in relation to the spine of the dart.

Why did hunters attach atlatl weights to the shaft of their atlatls?

Atlatl Illus. Hunters attached atlatl weights to the shaft of their atlatls. The weights helped to transfer the force of the throwing motion to the spears in flight. This allowed hunters to attack game from farther away and with more power.

How far can you throw a spear with an atlatl?

100 yards
Without the Atlatl, the Tlacochtli javelin can be thrown at about 41 mph (66 kmh) with a maximum range of 100 yards (91 meters): although the effective range is about 50 yards (45 meters). With the Atlatl, the javelin can fly at about 54 mph (87 kmh) with an effective range of about 150 yards (137 meters).

What is an atlatl made out of?

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. One end is hooked, and the hook fits into the nock end of a separate spear shaft, itself between 3 to 8 feet (1–2.5 meters) in length.

How long are atlatl darts?

The Atlatl Dart is extremely long compared to the traditional arrow. They can range from five to seven feet, but six feet (72″) is considered the standard length.

What is a Indian Bannerstone?

Archaic Culture, Meigs Co, A 56/000070. “Bannerstone” is the name given to a variety of beautifully-crafted stone artifacts. The majority were made from slate and they range from simple hollow tubes to elaborate winged forms. Some bannerstones likely served as weights or decorations for the atlatl.

Why did people stop using the atlatl?

Who used atlatls? By about 10,000 BC, people in Europe stopped using the atlatl because they were using the bow and arrow instead. The same thing happened in North America starting around 3000 BC.

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.

Are atlatls accurate?

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.