A recent research study emphasizes the role of the atlatl (a device for throwing spears) in bridging the gap in projectile speed between men and women, inferring women’s significant involvement in prehistoric hunting. Supported by trials with 108 subjects, these discoveries dispute conventional notions of gender-specific tasks in early hunting, even suggesting that women could have been the creators of the atlatl.
The research was supervised by professors from the archaeology department at Kent State.
Archaeologist Michelle Bebber, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Kent State University, led a new study proving that the atlatl (or spear thrower) acted as a means of “equalization,” a conclusion that endorses women’s possible proactive role as ancient hunters.
Bebber co-authored a recent paper published in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports. Her collaborators include Metin I. Eren and Dexter Zirkle (a recent Ph.D. graduate) from Kent State’s Department of Anthropology, along with Briggs Buchanan from the University of Tulsa, and Robert Walker from the University of Missouri.
The atlatl, a hand-held, rod-like instrument that utilizes leverage to propel a dart, represents a vital technological breakthrough in human history, employed in hunting and combat since the Stone Age. The earliest javelins date back hundreds of thousands of years, while the first atlatls are presumably tens of thousands of years old.
Bebber posited a hypothesis that the adoption of the atlatl among foragers over its assumed precursor, the hand-thrown javelin, may have allowed a wide variety of individuals to achieve comparable performance results, hence encouraging broader participation in hunting pursuits.
The research examined this theory through a methodical evaluation of 2,160 weapon launches by 108 novices, many of whom were Kent State students, who utilized both javelins and atlatls. The outcomes aligned with the “atlatl equalizer hypothesis,” demonstrating that the atlatl not only enhances the speed of projectile weapons compared to hand-thrown javelins but also balances the speed of projectiles launched by females and males.
Bebber’s findings suggest that the transition from javelin to atlatl would have led to a collaboration rather than separation of labor. “Our results hint that female and male burials with atlatl weaponry should be interpreted in a similar light, and in certain archaeological scenarios, females could have been the inventors of the atlatl,” Bebber stated.
Bebber also emphasized the evolving understanding that women were likely not merely passive bystanders but active and proficient hunters of both large and small game. This realization is becoming more consistent across various disciplines – archaeology, ethnography, and contemporary experiments.
Since 2019, Bebber has been using the atlatl in her classes, noticing that females quickly mastered it and could launch darts as far as males with minimal effort. The atlatl, functioning as a simple lever, neutralizes the benefit of men’s typically greater muscle strength, leading Bebber to conclude that females might have been the inventors of the atlatl in certain contexts.
This assertion aligns with evidence of females inventing tool technologies for hunting in specific primate species, as documented among the Fongoli chimpanzees.
The research paper entitled “Atlatl use equalizes female and male projectile weapon velocity” by Michelle R. Bebber, Briggs Buchanan, Metin I. Eren, Robert S. Walker, and Dexter Zirkle was published on 16 August 2023 in Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40451-8
The National Science Foundation provided funding for this study.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about atlatl
What does the new study about the atlatl reveal regarding gender roles in prehistoric hunting?
The study emphasizes the role of the atlatl in equalizing projectile velocity between men and women, suggesting women’s significant participation in prehistoric hunting. Supported by experiments involving 108 subjects, the findings dispute traditional beliefs of gender-specific tasks in early hunting and even propose that women might have been the creators of the atlatl.
Who led the study and where was it published?
The study was led by Archaeologist Michelle Bebber, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Kent State University. She co-authored the paper with other scholars, and it was published in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports.
What is the atlatl, and how does it function?
The atlatl is a handheld, rod-shaped device that uses leverage to launch a dart. It represents a major human technological innovation used in hunting and warfare since the Stone Age. The study demonstrates that the atlatl not only increases the velocity of projectile weapons compared to hand-thrown javelins but also balances the speed of projectiles launched by both genders.
How did the researchers test the hypothesis?
The researchers tested the hypothesis through a systematic assessment of 2,160 weapon launch events by 108 people, including many Kent State students. They used both javelins and atlatls, and the results supported the “atlatl equalizer hypothesis.”
What are the broader implications of the study?
The results of the study challenge conventional beliefs about gender roles in ancient hunting and suggest a more inclusive participation of women in these activities. It also implies that the transition from javelin to atlatl would have promoted collaboration rather than division of labor, and in some archaeological contexts, females could have been the inventors of the atlatl.
More about atlatl
- Nature: Scientific Reports
- Kent State University’s Department of Anthropology
- National Science Foundation
5 comments
Couldnt believe that females picked up atlatl so easily. Just shows that strength isnt everything when it comes to innovation and adaptability.
I took a class with Dr. Bebber. She’s brilliant. This study seems to align with her other works. Wish more people would focus on ancient tech like this.
Really interesting study. Never knew the atlatl had such a role in gender equality in ancient hunting. It’s great that they used real experiments.
this is fascinating, women in prehistoric times might have been the inventors of the atlatl. who would have thought?
I am bit skeptical about the conclusions. Do we really have enough evidenc to support the claim that women were likely to invent this tool?