Great Basin Atlatl Studies by T. R. Hester; M. P. Mildner; L.

Spencer
Review by: JAMES H. KELLAR
The Journal of California Anthropology, Vol. 2, No. 1 (SUMMER 1975), pp. 140-141
Published by: Malki Museum, Inc.
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THE JOURNALOF CALIFORNIAANTHROPOLOGY

140
broad

results

social

indicated

1974.

and

by the authors about

It is unques
demography.

$4.95 (paper).

change
tionable
that there was

late period,
and
of unknown magnitude

increase
ent.

such

However,

of settle

nucleation

in the

ments

changes

a population
is also pres
were

general

throughout the state, taking place inmany

regions
of Lake

far removed

effects

faunal

some 21,000
bone fragments were identified,
with rabbits by far the most common animals

(75%),

so dominant as to suggest rabbit

hunting as a principal use of the Perris region.

A
and variety of
surprisingly
large amount
was
recovered
flotation
seeds
using
plant
to be a
techniques,
indicating such techniques
source of
important and under-utilized
a dozen
for desert
sites. Over
plant
are represented
resources
in the material

very
data

recovered.

to the ethnographic record is

Linkage
quite

for

detailed,

particularly
Perris Reservoir
Although

practices.
the "heartland"

subsistence
was

not

of

any known
tribe, and
indeed its tribal affiliation
is not clear, com
are appro
to Cahuilla
parisons
ethnography
priate. The general interpretations of land use
and

subsistence

overall

report

pp.,

19 figs.

2 pis.,

tables,

Reviewed by JAMESH. KELLAR

Indiana

University

that the atlatl, or

It is generally assumed
a
wide distribution during a
spearthrower, had

major portion of the prehistoricperiod in the

for its persis
World. However,
except
tence among widely
scattered historic groups,
direct evidence for its use is confined to a few

New

is an unusually
thorough treatment
and floral remains. Over 5000 of

There
of

from any possible

LeConte.

60

are no doubt

provides

correct, and the

the only substantial

body of data for thispart of California.

dry contexts

regions where

preservation of the wood

from which the

was

implement

or where
made,
of durable mate

customarily
parts were made

recognizable
rials. The Great

is one

Basin

to the

contribute

such

and

area,

this publication is directed towards updating

the information

concerning

the atlatl there.

Great Basin Atlatl Studies is comprised of

four

papers,

concerning

two

of which

specimens

which

are brief
had

notes

been

only

briefly described previously. One of these,

described

unidentified
Nevada.

by Hester, was recovered

cave near Winnemucca

from an
Lake

in

The

and
other, described by Hester
is
and
also
from
Nevada
is
Mildner,
proposed
to have been the model
for a supposed replica,

reported in 1941-1942, called the Susanville

(California) Atlatl.
more extensive.

The

a
provides
all of the available

Mildner
not

other

two papers

are

if
summary of most
information concern

ing the atlatl in theGreat Basin. Included are

of 17 known specimens, a
descriptions
consideration
of "charmstones,
pendants, and

basic

fishingweights" as possible atlatlweights, and

a brief comment

on the types of spurs, either

or
integral
attached, used to engage the dart.
Mildner
concludes
that the atlatl was prob

Great Basin

Atlatl

Studies. T. R. Hester, M. P.
and
L.
Califor
Mildner,
Spencer. Ramona,
nia: Ballena Press Publications
in Archae
ology,

Ethnology,

and

History

No.

2,

ably in use prior to 6,000 B.C., but that its

replacement by the bow might be dated from

as early as 1,250 B.C. to as late as A.D.

1,000.
As part of a discussion
the
concerning
evolution
of the atlatl in the Great Basin,

Webb's (1950:351-352)

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hypothesis that the

REVIEWS 141
from

evolved

implement

a wooden

device

with the
tasks. Experiments
plish particular
while
useful
finished
specimen,
producing

with an integral hook to one with a hook

which is attached is cited. Mildner concludes

would
information
regarding dart breakage,
had greater profi
have been more meaningful
tests
the actual
ciency been gained before

does not apply to his area.

that this sequence
reason to suppose that
no
is
There
necessary

it would, since Webb was explicitly dealing

with the evidence for the development of a

were undertaken.
produced

was substituted for "yards." Howard (1974)

might profitably be added to the experimen
tal bibliography.

to the south

atlatl form unique

compound
the antecedents
eastern Archaic,

for which

are

still unrecognized. It should be noted that

page reference (353 sic) to theWebb paper is

These

It would be helpful if a consistent dating

one

were

paragraph

"B.P.,"

example,

pus

ago,"

"years

Spencer describes in substantial detail an

experiment
tools were

in which

employed

native

much

and

materials

a "weight

to duplicate

available

of what

the atlatl

though the actual time spent is of little

relevance

only

What

is of

consequence

are

the

tools best

suited

However,

they do

can presently
Basin.

be

stated

about

Webb, William S.
1950 The Carlson Annis Mound. University of
Kentucky Reports in Anthropology. VII

insights gained into the properties of raw

materials and the functional qualities of the
flint and obsidian

study.

Howard, Calvin D.
1974 The Atlatl: Function and Performance.
American Antiquity 39:102-104.

limited

prior experiencewith most of the operations

involved.

for

REFERENCES

6,030 B.C.), darts, and points. In excess

to the several tasks,
of 38 hours were devoted
about

the writer had

substantial

in the Great

ed" atlatl (the original forwhich was dated to

because

no

provide

bring togethermuch scattered informationand

in a single publication make readily available

"A.D."

and

"B.C.,"

For

employed.
uses
(p. 20)

four papers

new insightsregardingthe development of the

atlatl in the Great Basin, but perhaps such
should not be expected given the limited cor

in error.

nomenclature

error (p. 52)

A typographical
when
test
results
"years"
astounding

(4).

to accom

bI

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