On September 20, 1997 an intrepid band of Rutland High School students braved wind and rain to gather on the shores of Lake Champlain at the Chimney Point Historic Site to participate in the Second Northeast Open Atlatl Championship. This event, part of Vermont Archaeology Week, has already drawn a following with participants coming from as far away as St. Louis, Missouri.

The atlatl is an ancient and versatile spear throwing device that has been found everywhere man hunted game. Some of the most beautifully carved artifacts associated with the Cro Magnons were probably atlatl parts. Atlatls have also been used as maps and musical instruments. Although it was replaced by the bow and arrow in many cultures, atlatls continued to be used in historic times by many peoples including the Inuit, Australian Aborigines and the Aztecs. In fact the word atlatlis adopted from the Aztec Nuhatl language and translates literally as "throwing on water."

Rutland High School students crafted a variety of atlatls and darts using traditional and some not-so-traditional materials and techniques. ( right: A.J. Jeromin explains to Tammy Reardon how to use the atlatl he has made.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  Excitement grew as students began to compare and test their weapons. Producing darts turned out to be more difficult than expected. Wood for the shafts needed to be straight grained and flexible (ash worked well.) Most students used steel arrow tips but one used a knapped chert tip held in place with sinew. (left: A.J. Jeromin in mid-throw. This is the style that would win the Junior Distance event with a throw of 179 feet, although under windless and dry conditions he managed throws approaching 300 feet.)
 
 
 

At the Championship they competed in three categories: accuracy, distance and authenticity. Students had about an hour before the event to practice. (right: l-r A.J. Jeromin, Brandon Howard, Jamie MacCormack, Ted Holland, Shamus Patry, student teacher Jason Barney.)

Targets, placed at 10, 15 and 20 meters, represented mammoth, elk and other paleo-game animals. Students were especially excited about meeting Robert Berg who has hunted wild boar with the atlatl and conducts workshops on how to make atlatls. (left: Matt Daley goes to retrieve his dart. Notice the range of targets as well as Matt's atlatl nicknamed the club.)
 
 
 
 
 

Students also had the opportunity to examine other aspects of paleo-technology up close. (right: V.J. Donnelly gets a short lesson in early leather tanning techniques.)
 
 
 

(above: Monica Canfield-Lenfest checking
out the atlatl exhibit inside the museum.)
 
 
 
 

All had high hopes of victory. Their weeks of practice were put to the test under less-than-ideal conditions. A sudden torrential downpour delayed the competition for about half an hour when the decision was made to begin under a light but cold drizzle. The rain affected their marksmanship and cold-numbed fingers had difficulty gripping the atlatl and dart. (left: l-r Ted Holland, Brandon Howard, Jason Ballard and V.J. Donnelly discussing the weather and how it will affect their performance.) Good humored students joked that conditions must have been similar to those at the end of the last ice age.
 

For their first time in an atlatl competition the students performed admirably. (left: Junior atlatlists receive their last instructions before the competition begins.) Unfortunately, one over enthusiastic competitor crossed the firing line before the "all clear" order was issued by the range officer and according to the safety rules he was immediately disqualified. :-(    Competing in the adult category, Mr. Barney's mighty distance throw shattered a high-tech aluminum shafted dart. (Sorry, Kathy Callum)
 
 
 

At the end of the day an awards ceremony was held on the back porch of the tavern museum. (right: A.J. Jeromin recieves a certificate and VAW 97 poster for his first place performance in the distance event.)