Santa Barbara Atlatl
This was found in Santa Barbara, Baja California and is possibly Chumash. It was found in 1793.
The description given is:
"spearthrower of moderately hard, light-coloured wood, pierced with two holes for the first two fingers: the hook is made of a piece of bone rudely shaped. The whole seems to have once been covered with red color, now almost worn away. From the bone hook to the projection at the broad end of the implement is a shallow channel, as is usually found."
This seems too short to be functional. Possibly a children's model.
Material:
Wood, 5 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1"
Dowel or bone peg
Construction:
- Cut out the basic shape.
- Drill 2 fingerholes, 3/4" in diameter about an inch apart.
- Drill a hole for the peg.
- Carefully carve a v-channel down the center of the board, running in about 3".
- Round the edges and sand it.
- Put some glue in the peg hole and insert the peg, pressing firmly.
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