Effects of Stone Projectile Points as a Mass Within the Atlatl and Dart Mechanical System
Author(s): William R Perkins; David Wescott
Year: 1995
Summary
J. Whittaker: Dart is most important part of "spring mass mechanical system" - it flexes, and mass of point resists force, helps flex dart and store energy. Longer darts need bigger pts with more mass to flex efficiently.
Distance tests - variation +1.5 gm around a 9 gm mass is ok
Temporal trend to smaller points reflects faster darts, but more sensitive, so need more standardization of points in each local tradition [inadequate example given, and what about resharpening?]
Stone points preferred to other materials because more mass.
Really long darts like Australia - large points, or none if enough dart mass to flex without.
Ideal proportions of system: DartLength = Atlatl Length x Pi
[Dart flex is necessary, but he greatly exaggerates the importance of dart flex as stored energy – try flexing a dart against a stop and letting it spring forward. How far does it go? Does weight of point really affect flex, or mostly balance?].
Cite this Record
Effects of Stone Projectile Points as a Mass Within the Atlatl and Dart Mechanical System. William R Perkins, David Wescott. Bulletin of Primitive Technology. 10: 69-72. 1995 ( tDAR id: 419551)
Keywords
General
Atlatl
•
bow & arrow
•
stone
•
Tools
Geographic Keywords
USA
Temporal Keywords
Bronze Age
•
Chalcolithic
•
Iron Age
•
Mesolithic
•
Neolithic
•
Palaeolithic
•
Viking Age
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): EXARC Experimental Archaeology Collection Manager
Record Identifiers
ExArc Id(s): 5742
Notes
Rights & Attribution: The information in this record was originally compiled by Dr. Roeland Paardekooper, EXARC Director.