The Raging Cow

Despite unseasonably cool weather and a brisk westerly wind, the fourth annual atlatl throwing contest called Raging Cow was held the last weekend in April, 2005 in the small central Iowa town of Grinnell on the Grinnell College campus. Three teams brought out their throwing arms at Raging Cow this year, the University of Iowa, Luther College of Decorah and the home team. Atlatl competitions such as the Raging Cow are held throughout the world, with some 400 members belonging to the World Atlatl Association. According to WAA current president Ron Mertz, interest in atlatl throwing is a part of the primitive skills movement, fostered by people interested in archaeology and technologies of the past, and not necessarily professionals, academics or college students.

So what’s an atlatl?

The atlatl (pronounced atul-atul or at-latul) is a form of hunting tool that was invented at least as long ago as the Upper Paleolithic, a technological leap increasing the accuracy and distance of spear throwing. Atlatl hunting requires a spear with a sharpened point or other projectile at one end (called the dart), and an atlatl. An atlatl is a slightly curved piece of wood, ivory or bone between 5 and 24 inches long, hooked at one end. The hook fits into the nock end of a spear shaft, itself between 3 and 8 feet in length, and the atlatl is used with a flipping motion, in effect adding a joint to the thrower’s arm. The proper use of the atlatl makes spear-assisted hunting an efficient and deadly experience.

The thrower holds the atlatl in the palm of her hand and pinches the dart shaft with her fingers. Balancing both behind her ear, she pauses, pointing with her opposite hand toward the target; and then, with a movement as if she were pitching a ball, she flings the shaft forward allowing it to slip out of her fingers as it flies towards the target. Do not try this at home; the speed of a properly flung five foot spear equipped with a three foot atlatl is about 50 miles per hour; one researcher reports putting an atlatl dart through his garage door on his first attempt.

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