Wooden Spear

I am double posting this from my professional blog because I think it is really remarkable.  A cave find from southeast New Mexico.

From time to time, we receive donations from private individuals.  After a few phone calls back and forth, I arranged to meet with someone who wanted to show me a dart she had found in a cave when she was young.  We have agreed to accept this remarkable find and intend to display it in the near future.  The preservation is beautiful, although it has apparently been handled over many years.  There was apparently a spear-thrower (atlatl) found with the dart but it was unfortunately lost in a house fire.

Click the image for a larger version

foreshaft separated

The foreshaft/point is hardwood and fits into a socket.  the hind shaft is split in order to contract when seized with sinew (still attached.  The barb is lashed on with more sinew.  I will put more description and better photos when I get time.

Finished Atlatl (a.k.a. spearthrower)

My new Basketmaker-style atlatl.  I used it without a weight for a few weeks and it was adequate but the addition of this small weight seems to make a real difference in power, especially with a larger dart.

The weight is a hard argilite from Arizona.  Attached with pine-pitch glue and lashed with sinew coated in hide glue.  The wood is Osage orange and finger loops are brain-tanned leather over rawhide.

The photos aren’t the greatest in the dawn light.

Archaeology on Comb Ridge

Some beautifully preserved features from Pueblo structures along Comb Ridge.

Clinging to the rock face “Moki” style.  Most of this structure came down many years ago.

The eroded sandstone forms perfect shelter for large structures.  Only part of this remains.

Looking out from the same shelter.  Notice the loopholes and the closed off door.

Dart and atlatl flex

These pictures capture the enormous flex that a dart undergoes during the throw. Not quite as evident is the flex in the atlatl itself. This one takes on a shallow “S” curve. This was an unfinished river cane shaft. It had been somewhat straightened but no forshaft or point were attached. If they were, there would probably be even greater flex due to the higher mass slowing the acceleration of the front end of the dart. I would call this shaft moderately stiff-spined and it flexed far more than could be seen with the naked eye.

This student was kind enough to allow me to photograph several throws to capture the right moment. This is about maximum flex.

This flex is vital to a powerful and accurate throw.

Below are a couple of darts with the new thrower.

Ongoing work at Clovis

This is our covered excavation of an Archaic bison kill over a Folsom-age kill.  It is part of a much larger series of kills in an outflow channel of the ancient lake-bed.

More of Comb Ridge

Amazing county. Prehistoric people probably used every acre of this landscape in some way.

More here: http://web.mac.com/paleotool/Paleotool/Comb_Ridge.html

About the header photo

The header photo above is a Clovis spear point that is part of the type-collection that resides at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico.

Here it is in all of its glory:

Chaco Culture

Here is a photo of Pueblo Bonito at Chaco Culture National Park. These people were really into moving rocks.

The masonry was beautiful, showing great care and artisanship.