Stone Age New York

          This Clovis Atlatl Stone is a highly developed stone tool designed to help ice age man provide food for his family and clan. Its complex curved base mount provides a tight fit to an atlatl shaft that prevents it from coming loose when used for hunting. The top side of the artifact is built to snugly hold a spear shaft and is angled upward at the end to provide lift and distance to the thrown spear.

          The flute on the front of the artifact is the shape of a stemmed curved point, thus clearly identifying the artifact as being of Clovis origins. A tool of this complexity would have enabled megafauna hunters the advantage of standing farther away from dangerous prey as well as adding speed and force to a thrown spear, thus creating a deadlier wound then a spear thrown by hand. Clovis stone tool designers thus created a hunting weapon accessory that makes hunting dangerous big game quicker and safer.

          Photo 1: Clovis Atlatl Stone, front view as it fits into atlatl shaft.

          Photo 2: Artifact in vertical position showing stemmed curved point fluting.

          Photo 3: Base of artifact showing curved mounting design for steady fit in shaft.

          Photo 4: Top of artifact where spear is placed for throwing is curved for upward lift.