SPEAR THROWER REFERENCES

This is not a comprehensive list of all spear thrower articles.  This page contains spear thrower references that I have.  In the table to the left of the article citation, there are five possible categories for each article.  These categories are:
A = Archeological Evidence
W  = Atlatl Weights (Bannerstones)
E = Experimental Atlatls and Reconstructions
H = Historical Accounts
O = Other (i.e. finger loops, spear points, dart rests, etc.)

Click on the articles that appear as links to read my written review of the article.
 
 

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A        
Baker, W. E. and Kidder, A. V., 1937, A spear thrower from Oklahoma: American Antiquity, vol. 3, p. 51-52.
    E    
Baugh, R. A., 1998, Atlatl dynamics, p. 31-41 in Odell, G., ed., Lithic Technology, Department of Anthropology, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, vol. 23, no. 1.
    E    
Beard, D. C., 1886, The American boys handy book:  Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, p. 195-196.
A  W      
Beatty, W. H., 1967, Atlatl weights or boatstones:  Papers in Anthropology, Department of Anthropology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, vol. 8, no. 1, p. 34-49.
A        
Beuchat, H., 1912, Manuel D Archeologie Americaine (Amerique Prehistorique – civilisations disparues): Auguste Picard, Successeur, Paris, P. 305-306 and 670-671.
A        
Boas, F., 1938, Invention, p. 243-244 in Boas, F., ed., General Anthropology:  D. C. Heath and Company, Boston.
A     H   
Bray, W., 1991, Everyday life of the Aztecs: Peter Bedrick Books, New York, p. 93-95, 131 and 189-191.
    E    
Brennan, L. A., 1977, Weapons of the first bow hunters: The Shooter’s Bible, No. 68,  p. 89-96.
A        O
Bridges, P. S., Blitz, J. H., and Solano, M. C., 2000, Changes in long bone diaphyseal strength with horticultural intensification in west-central Illinois:  American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol. 112, p. 217-238.
      H  
Brokensha, P., 1987, The Pitjantjatjara and their crafts:  The Aboriginal Arts Board, Australia Council, North Sydney, Australia, p. 38-45.
  W      
Brown, J. L., 1967, The use of atlatl weights: A suggestion: Southwestern Lore, vol. 32, no. 4, p. 84-85.
     E    
Brown, T., Jr. and Morgan, B., 1983, Tom Brown’s field guide to wilderness survival: Berkley
Books, New York, p. 224-225.
    E   O
Browne, J., 1940, Projectile Points:  American Antiquity, vol. 3, p. 209-213.
    E    
Butler, W. B., 1975, The atlatl:  The physics of function and performance:  Plains Anthropologist, vol. 20, no. 68, p. 105-110.
    E    
Butler, W. B., 1977, Atlatl functions, fancy, flex, and fun: A reply to Howard:   Plains Anthropologist, vol. 22,  no. 76, pt. 1, p.161-162.
    E    
Butler, W. B., 1980, Penetrating elephant hide with wood atlatl darts:  Plains Anthropologist, vol. 25, no. 90, p. 353-356.
A W      
Butler, B. R., and Osborne, D., 1959, Archaeological evidence for the use of atlatl weights in the Northwest: American Antiquity, vol. 25, p. 215-224.
A     H  
Campbell, P. D., 1999, Survival skills of Native California: Gibbs Smith, Publisher, Salt Lake City, Utah, p. 307-319.
      H   
Chewings, C., 1936, Back in the Stone Age:  The Natives of Central Australia:  Angus & Robertson Limited, Sydney, Australia, 161 p.
A        
Claflin, W. H., 1931, The Stalling’s Island Mound Columbia County, Georgia: Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Papers, vol. XIV, no. 1.
A        
Clark, G., 1967, The Stone Age hunters: McGraw- Hill Book Company, New York, p. 32, 63-64, 93, 96-97 and 128-131.
    E    
Cole, C., 1997, The throwing stick roll:  Sea Kayaker, vol. 13, no. 6, p. 36-37.
  W E    
Cole, G. S., 1972, The bannerstone as a spear weight, Michigan Archaeologist, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 1-18.
    E    
Comstock, P., 1999, Throwing darts with Baton de Commandment, p. 195-199 in Wescott, D., ed., Primitive Technology:  A book of Earth Skills:  The Society of Primitive Technology, Gibbs Smith, Layton, Utah.
A     H  
Coon, C. S., 1971, The hunting peoples: Little, Brown and Company, Boston, p. 75-77.
A       O
Cosgrove, C. B., 1947, Caves of the Upper Gila and Hueco areas in New Mexico and Texas:  Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Papers, Harvard University, vol. 24, no. 2.
A       O
Cressman, L. S., Williams, H., and Krieger, A. D., 1940, Early man in Oregon: Archaeological Studies in the Northern Great Basin: University of Oregon Monographs, Studies in Anthropology, no. 3, 78 p.
A     H   
Cundy, B. J., 1989, Formal variation in Australian spear and spearthrower technology:  BAR International Series 546, Oxford, England, 143 p.
  W      
Curren, C. B., 1977, Potential interpretations of “stone gorget” function:  American Antiquity, vol. 42, p. 97-101.
A   E H  
Cushing, F. H., 1895, The arrow: American Anthropologist, vol. 8, no. 4, p. 307-349.
A       O
Dalley, G. F., 1970, Artifacts of wood, p. 153-186, in Aikens, C. M., ed., Hogup Cave:  University of Utah Anthropological Papers, no. 93.
A        
Dalley, G. F., and Peterson, K. L., 1970, Additional artifacts, p. 283-286, in Aikens, C. M., ed., Hogup Cave: University of Utah Anthropological Papers, no. 93.
      H  
DeFuentes, P., 1963, The Conquistadors: First-person accounts of the conquest of Mexico: The Orion Press, New York, p. 168-171.
      H  
The Diagram Group, Harding, D., ed., 1990, Weapons: An international encyclopedia from 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., Updated Edition: St. Martin’s Press, New York, p. 76, 83 and 297.
A W E H O
Dickson, D. B., 1985, The atlatl assessed: A review of recent anthropological approaches to prehistoric North American weaponry: Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society, vol. 56, p. 1-38.
A       O
Ekholm, G. F., 1962, U-shaped “ornaments” identified as fingerloops from atlatls: American Antiquity, vol. 28, p. 181-185.
    E   O
Evans, O. F., 1959, The development of the atlatl and the bow: Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society, vol.30, p. 159-162.
A        
Fagan, B., 1977, Elusive Treasure: The story of early archaeologists in the Americas: Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, p. 321.
A       O
Fenenga, F., 1953, The weights of chipped stone points: A clue to their functions: Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, vol. 9, p. 309-323.
A        
Fenenga, F., and Wheat, J. B., 1940, An atlatl from the Baylor Rock Shelter, Culberson County, Texas:  American Antiquity, vol. 5, p. 221-223.
A     H  
Fitzhugh, W. W. and Kaplan, S. A., 1982, Inua:  Spirit world of the Bering Sea Eskimo:  Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, p. 60–85.
A     H  
Fitzhugh, W. W. and Crowell, A., 1988, Crossroads of Continents:  Cultures of Siberia and Alaska:  Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, p. 68-69, 151-172 and 282.
      H  
Foster, G. M., 1948, Empire’s children: The people of Tzintzuntzan: Smithsonian Institution, Institute of Social Anthropology, Publication, no. 6.
   W E     
Fowler, W. S., 1969, Hafting ataltl weights:  Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Bulletin, vol. 30, no. 2, p. 15-17.
    E    
Frison, G. and Bradley, B., 1999, The Fenn Cache:  Clovis weapons & tools:  One Horse Land & Cattle Company, Santa Fe, New Mexico, p. 23-36.
A        
Giddings, J. L., 1962, The archeology of Cape Denbigh: Brown University Press, Providence, Rhode Island, p. 31, 34 and 43, pl. 5 and 8.
      H   
Gould, R. A., 1969, Yiwara:  Foragers of the Australian desert:  Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, p. 8-10, 30, 66, 77, 83-85, 94-99, 102, 107, 120, 123, 133, 173, 209.
      H  
Gould, R. A., 1970, Spears and spear-throwers of the western desert aborigines of Australia:  American Museum Novitates, no. 2403.
A       O
Grange, R., 1952, Wood artifacts, p. 331-450, in Martin, P. S., Rinaldo, J. B., Bluhm, E., Custer, H. C., and Grange, R.: Mogollon cultural continuity and change: Stratigraphic analysis of Tularosa and Cordova Caves: Fieldiana: Chicago Natural History Museum, Anthropology, no. 40, p. 331-450.
  W      
Graybill, G., 1974, A nation-wide atlatl survey: Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, vol. 35, no. 3 and 4, p. 8-14.
A        
Guernsay, S. J. and Kidder, A. V., 1921, Basket-Maker caves in northeastern Arizona:  Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Papers, Harvard University, vol. 8, no. 2.
A        
Guernsay, S. J., 1931, Explorations in northeastern Arizona:  Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Papers, Harvard University, Papers, vol. 12,  no. 1.
A        
Harrington, M. R., 1933, Gypsum Cave, Nevada:  Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, Paper, no. 8, p. 89-92 and 114.
A        
Heizer, R. F., 1938, An inquiry into the status of the Santa Barbara spearthrower: American Antiquity, vol. 4, no. 2,  p.137-141.
A W E   O
Hester, T. R., 1974, Archaeological materials from site NV-WA-197 western Nevada: Atlatl and animal skin pouches: Four Papers on Great Basin Anthropology, vol. 21, (June), p. 1-36.
A        
Hester, T. R., and Mildner, M. P., 1974, An atlatl from Council Hall Cave, Nevada, p. 33-35, in Hester, T. R., Mildner, M. P., and Spencer, L.: Great Basin Atlatl Studies, Ballena Press, Publications in Archaeology, Ethnology and History, no. 2.
A        
Hester, T. R., 1974, Supplementary notes on a Great Basin Atlatl, p. 29-31, in Hester, T. R., Mildner, M. P., and Spencer, L.: Great Basin Atlatl Studies, Ballena Press, Publications in Archaeology, Ethnology and History, no. 2.
A        
Hibben, F. C., 1968, The lost Americans, Revised and updated: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York, p. 44-45, 89-90, 121 and 142-143.
    E    
Hill, M. W., 1948, The atlatl or throwing stick: A recent study of atlatls in use with darts of various sizes: Tennessee Archaeologist, vol. 4, no. 4, p. 37-44.
  W      
Hobbs, H. P., Jr., 1963, The mystery of banner-stones and a possible solution: Quarterly Bulletin, Archaeological Society of Virginia, vol. 18, p. 2-7.
    E    
Howard, C. D., 1974, The atl-atl: Function and performance:  American Antiquity, vol. 39, p.102-104.
    E    
Howard, C. D., 1976, Atlatl function: A reply to Butler: Plains Anthropologist, vol. 74, no. 21, p. 313-314.
A     H  
Irwin, C., 1963, Fair gods and stone faces: St. Martin’s Press, New York, p. 267.
A       O
Johnson, A. S., 1971, Finger-loops and cruciform objects:  American Antiquity, vol. 36,  p.188-194.
A     H  
Keddie, G., 1988, The atlatl or throwing board: The Midden, vol. 20, no. 5, p. 6-8.
A     H  
Kellar, J. H., 1955, The atlatl in North American: Indiana Historical Society, Prehistory Research Series, vol. 3, no. 3, p. 281-352.
A W E    
Kidder, A. V., and Guernsey, S. J., 1919, Archaeological explorations in northeastern Arizona:  Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin, no. 65.
A     H   
Knight, E. H., 1880, A study of the savage weapons at the Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876:  Annual Report of the Board of Regent of the Smithsonian Institution, showing the Operations, Expenditures, and Condition of the Institution for the year 1879, Government Printing Office, Washington, no. 54, p. 275-277.
A     H  
Krause, F., 1905, Sling contrivances for projectile weapons: Smithsonian Institution, Annual Report for 1904, p. 619-638.
        O
Kroeber, A. L., 1948, Anthropology:  Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, p. 643-644.
A   E    
Lewis, R. B., ed., 1996, Kentucky Archaeology: The University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, p. 47-77.
A   E    
Lojewski, F., 1997, The atlatl: Sea Kayaker, vol. 13, no. 6, p. 34-37.
A     H  
Mason, O. T., 1885, Throwing-sticks in the National Museum:  Report of the United States National Museum for 1884, pt. 2, p. 279-289.
A     H   
Mason, O. T., 1892, Eskimo throwing-sticks:  Science, vol. 19, no. 488, p. 332.
A     H   
Mason, O. T., 1893, Throwing Sticks: Science, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 152-153.
A     H  
Mason, O. T., 1912, Throwing stick, p. 746 in Hodge, F. W., Handbook of American Indians:  North of Mexico:  Bureau of American Ethnology, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, Bulletin, no. 30, pt. 2.
A     H  
Massey, W. C., 1961, The survival of the dart-thrower on the Peninsula of Baja California:  Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, vol. 17, p. 81-93.
    E    
Mau, C., 1963, Experiments with the spear thrower: Bulletin of the New York State Archaeological Association, vol. 29, p. 2-13.
    E H  
Metcalf, H. G., 1977, Whittlin’, Whistles, and Thingamajigs: The Pioneer book of nature crafts and recreation arts: Castle Books, Secaucus, New Jersey, p. 73-81 and 170-172.
A W      
Mildner, M. P., 1974, Descriptive and distributional notes on atlatl and atlatl weights in the Great Basin, p. 7-27,  in Hester, T. R., Mildner, M. P., and Spencer, L.: Great Basin Atlatl Studies, Ballena Press, Publications in Archaeology, Ethnology and History, no. 2.
A     H  
Morley, S. G., and revised by Brainerd, G. W., 1978, The ancient Maya: Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, p. 146-147, 350, 405 and 418-419.
A     H  
Murdoch, J., 1892, Ethnological results of the Point Barrow Expedition: Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology for 1887-1888, vol. 9, p.217.
    E    
National Geographic, 1998, Spear-throwers hurl into the past:  National Geographic, Geographica, vol. 193, no. 4.
A     H  
Nelson, E. W., 1899, The Eskimo about the Bering Strait: Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology for 1896-1897, vol. 18, p. 152-155.
A   E    
Nusbaum, D., 1927, Deric in Mesa Verde:  G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, p. 3-12.
A     H O
Nuttall, Z., 1891, The atlatl or spear-thrower of the ancient Mexicans:  Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Papers, Harvard University, vol.1, no. 3, p. 171-205.
A        
Oakley, K. P., 1964, Man the tool-maker:  University of Chicago Press, Chicago, p. 23, 101-103.
    E    
Olsen, L. D., 1990, Outdoor survival skills: Chicago Review Press, Chicago, Illinois, p. 154-157.
A     H   
Osborn, H. F., 1916, Men of the old Stone Age:  Their environment, life and art:  Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, p. 271, 355, 391, 432, 433, 436, 445 and 449
      H  
Pagden, A. R., ed., 1971, Hernan Cortes:  Letters from Mexico:  Grossman Publishers, New York, 565p.
  W E    
Palter, J. L., 1976, A new approach to the significance of the “weighted” spear thrower:  American Antiquity, vol. 41, p. 500-510.
  W      
Parker, A. C., 1917, Problematic polished slate implements and allied forms from New York, p. 179-195 in Moorehead, W. K., ed., Stone Ornaments: The Andover Press, Andover.
    E    
Patterson, L. V., 1977, Atlatl function: Comments on Howard’s view: Plains Anthropologist, vol. 22, no. 76, pt. 1, p. 159-160.
        O
Patterson, L. W., 1980, Early use of the bow and arrow in southern North America:  Anthropological Journal of Canada, vol. 18, no. 2, p. 7-13.
A        
Peabody, C., 1904, Explorations of mounds, Coahoma County, Mississippi: Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Anthropology, Papers, vol. III, no. 2, Cambridge.
  W E    
Peets, O. H., 1960, Experiments in the use of atlatl weights: American Antiquity, vol. 26, p. 108-110.
A        
Pepper, G., 1905, The throwing-stick of a prehistoric people of the Southwest: International Congress of Americanists, 13 th Annual Session (1905), p. 107-130.
        O
Peterson, H. W., 1993, Development of the atlatl and notched projectile points: Missouri Archaeological Society Quarterly, vol. 10, no. 2, p. 18-19.
A     H  
Pfeiffer, J. E., 1978, The emergence of man:  Harper & Row, New York, Third Edition, p. 193-194 and 296-305.
      H   
Prescott, W. H., 1934, Conquest of Mexico: Book League of America, New York, 488 p.
    E    
Ratzat, C., 1999, Atlatls:  Throwing for distance, p. 200-201 in Wescott, D., ed., Primitive Technology:  A book of Earth Skills:  The Society of Primitive Technology, Gibbs Smith, Layton, Utah.
A W E    
Raymond, A., 1986, Experiments in the function and performance of weighted atlatl: World Archaeology, vol. 18, no. 2, p. 153-177.
A        
Rudgley, R., 1999, The lost civilizations of the Stone Age:  The Free Press, New York, p. 161-166.
A        
Snow, D., 1976, The archaeology of North America: The Viking Press, New York, p. 26, 37-39, 43 and 133.
A     H  
Spencer, B., and Gillen, F. J., 1938, The native tribes of central Australia:  Macmillian and Co., Limited, London, p. 574-586.
A   E    
Spencer, L., 1974, Replicate experiments in the manufacture and use of a Great Basin atlatl, p. 37-60,  in Hester, T. R., Mildner, M. P., and Spencer, L.: Great Basin Atlatl Studies, Ballena Press, Publications in Archaeology, Ethnology and History, no. 2.
A        
Stanford, D. J., 1976, The Walakpa Site, Alaska:  Its place in the Birnirk and Thule cultures:  Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C., no. 20, p. 29-31.
A   E    
Stanford, D., 1979, Bison kill by Ice Age hunters:  National Geographic, vol. 155, no. 1, p. 114-121.
      H  
Stirling, M. W., 1960, The use of the atlatl on Lake Patzeuaro, Michoaean: Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin, vol. 173, no. 57-62, p. 265-268.
A   E   O
Stone, G. C., 1961, A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and in all times together with some closely related subjects: Jack Brussel, Publisher New York, p. 576-580.
      H  
Swanton, J. R., 1938, A historic use of the spear-thrower in southeastern North America:  American Antiquity, vol. 3, p. 3556-358.
        O
Thomas, D. H., 1978, Arrowheads and atl-atl darts: How the stone got the shaft: American Antiquity, vol. 43, no. 3, p. 461-472.
      H  
Thompson, J. E., 1933, Mexico before Cortez:  An account of the daily life, religion and ritual of the Aztecs and kindred peoples:  Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, p. 4, 7, 14, 85, 93 and 120.
A        
Thompson, J. E. S., 1964, The rise and fall of Mayan civilization:  University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, p. 10, 85, 95-97, 102-104, 113.
A   E    
Tunis, E., 1959, Indians:  The World Publishing Company, New York, p. 15-17.
A       O
Uhle, M., 1909, Peruvian throwing-sticks: American Anthropologist, no. 11, p. 624-627.
A     H  
Vanderhoek, R., 1998, The atlatl and dart: Unpublished Thesis, University of Illinois and Urbana-Champaign, 128p.
A     H  
Von Hagen, V. W., 1961, The ancient sun kingdoms of the Americas: The World Publishing Company, New York, p. 167-168 and 350.
A   E    
Webb, W. S., and Haag, W. G., 1939, The Chiggerville Site, Site 1, Ohio County, Kentucky:  University of Kentucky, Reports in Anthropology and Archaeology, vol. IV, no. 1, Lexington.
A        
Webb, W. S., 1939, An archaeological survey of Wheeler Basin on the Tennessee River in northern Alabama: United States Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin, no. 122, Washington, D. C.
A        
Webb, W. S., and Haag, W. G., 1940, Cypress Creek Village Sites 11 and 12, McLean County, Kentucky: University of Kentucky, Reports in Anthropology and Archaeology, vol. IV, no. 2, Lexington.
A       O
Webb, W. S., and De Jarnette, D. L., 1942, An archaeological survey of Pickwick Basin in the adjacent portions of the states Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee: United States Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin, no. 129, Washington, D. C.
A W E    
Webb, W. S., 1946, Indian Knoll Site Oh2, Ohio County, Kentucky: University of Kentucky, Reports in Anthropology and Archaeology, vol. IV, no. 3, pt. 1, Lexington.
A        
Webb, W. S., and Haag, W. G., 1947, Archaic sites in McLean County, Kentucky: University of Kentucky, Reports in Anthropology and Archaeology, vol. VII, no.1, Lexington.
A        
Webb, W. S., 1950, The Carlson Annis Mound Site 5, Butler County, Kentucky: University of Kentucky, Reports in Anthropology and Archaeology, vol. VII, no.4, Lexington.
A W E    
Webb, W. S., 1950, The Read Shell Midden Site, Butler County, Kentucky: University of Kentucky, Reports in Anthropology and Archaeology, vol. VII, no.5, Lexington.
    E    
Wescott, D., 1999, Reconstructing a generic Basketmaker atlatl, p. 203-207 in Wescott, D., ed., Primitive Technology:  A book of Earth Skills:  The Society of Primitive Technology, Gibbs Smith, Layton, Utah.
A        
Woodward, A., 1937, Atlatl dart foreshafts from the La Brea pits:  Southern California Academy of Sciences, Bulletin, vol. 36, pt. 2, p. 41-60.

 
 

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