Ancient Projectile Weapons for Teaching and Public Outreach

Summary

Children and adults often glaze over during abstruse discussions of the past, yet most are instantly engaged and excited on witnessing a flexible dart launched with an atlatl, or a hunting boomerang whirling towards a target. Most will try their hands at these weapons with enthusiasm. Today these are curious, antiquated devices, however, they were once the battle and hunting rifles of their day, and using them provides us with some sense of what it was like to be an ancient hunter or warrior, however removed from the direct experience of those people our own may be. When employed safely, and with skill by a professional demonstrator, these weapons can ground students and public in a direct, physical experience that creates strong memories, demonstrates the creativity and skill of ancient peoples, and opens students to more abstruse discussions of the past. Several years making, practicing with, and demonstrating ancient projectile weapons to the public provides a number of worthwhile insights.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Teaching Archaeology: Highlights from the Committee on Curriculum and the Teaching Archaeology Interest Group

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