An ancient spear-throwing tool known as the atlatl drew a few dozen enthusiasts to the Northeast Open Atlatl Championship in Addison, Vermont, on Saturday. The thirtieth annual event was part of Vermont's Archaeology Month, organizers said, and was staged at Chimney Point State Historic Site, near Lake Champlain and the New York state border.
Humans invented the atlatl thousands of years ago to extend the throwing arm for spear hunting. It was used to hunt large animals such as woolly mammoths in eras long before written history. Today, hobbyists and anthropology lovers keep the tradition alive as a way to study history and have fun. "I think it's just a low-pressure sport. Really, really fun," said Celine Thouin, 38, a veteran of the Franklin Pierce University atlatl team who competed Saturday. "It's also experimental archaeology, which is incredibly fun. We get to use the same weapons that were used 15,000 years ago all over the world."
Thouin, a mother whose children are also atlatl enthusiasts, was among a few dozen participants in the Addison event. She won the 2020 competition, and she said the experience continues to connect generations with a historical skill.
The competition welcomes participants of all ages and awards for both accuracy and distance. Fans note that throws longer than 800 feet (244 meters) have been recorded in the sport, though a shorter throw still demands a steady hand and precise aim.
Douglas Bassett, a past president of the World Atlatl Association who also took part in Saturday's event, described the tool in simple terms: "a stick by which you can throw another stick." He said atlatls were used across the ancient world, enhancing hunting capabilities in many cultures. Bassett joked about the pronunciation, saying, "The language is gone as the people are gone, so I don't know much about the pronunciations." He added that the atlatl likely appeared on every continent at some point, and even if Antarctica were to melt in the future, there might be evidence of people throwing spears there too with the atlatl.
The Addison event is part of a broader interest in archaeology in Vermont, linking to state efforts to highlight local history. Chimney Point State Historic Site sits along Lake Champlain, and the competition brings together learners and history fans to observe practical demonstrations of how ancient tools functioned and how communities organized their hunting practices.
The Northeast Open Atlatl Championship has grown into more than a one-day contest; it is a reminder that tools from the distant past can offer both education and entertainment. For Thouin and others, the sport is a bridge between science and play, and a window into the ingenuity of communities that turned simple sticks into sophisticated hunting technology.