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Post by bluetrain on Aug 28, 2018 9:22:56 GMT
We've been going through a ton of old National Geographics and in one issue there was a very short article (half a page) about some (American) Indian tribe that practices the sport of throwing arrows, if you can call it a sport. In the single photo that accompanied the article, the arrow appeared to be larger and heavier than a normal arrow, yet not quite approaching what a javelin would be. It had fletching and a steel head, which was also unlike any other arrowhead. It resembled a steel spike of around four to six inches long fixed to the head of the arrow. The participants made them all themselves.
Anyone ever heard of such a thing? I saw the article about a week ago and only now thought about posting something about it.
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Post by leviathansteak on Aug 28, 2018 11:01:12 GMT
Sure sounds like an atlatl to me. Sorta like javelin/arrow hybrids. Don't know much about them but fits the description
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Post by mrbadexample on Aug 28, 2018 11:29:26 GMT
I was thinking the same. I made and use an atlatl, and the dart sounds like what you are describing.
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Post by bluetrain on Aug 28, 2018 12:03:07 GMT
A dart sort of describes it, only longer (than I think of darts). I'll have to go find the article.
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Post by bluetrain on Aug 28, 2018 17:04:31 GMT
Okay, I found the article after leafing through about thirty issues. It was in the November 1993 issue in the "Geographica" section. It's all of three paragraphs long.
The sport, as it was described, only originated in the early 1900s. It's called Crow arrow throwing. The four-foot arrows are made of ash or chokecherry. The photo shows some sort of aid to throwing. The details are not clear but it says they can throw them about 40 yards. Apparently, the whole idea is to remember the days when they lived on the Great Plains. They now live on a reservation in southern Montana.
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Post by ember on Aug 28, 2018 20:31:45 GMT
Atlatl darts are usually about 4ft
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christain
Member
It's the steel on the inside that counts.
Posts: 2,835
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Post by christain on Aug 28, 2018 22:25:18 GMT
If I recall correctly, the Irish used throwing darts centuries ago, but they didn't use the atlatl handle---they just threw them.(I think.) They also had small steel heads and fletching and about 4-5 feet in length.
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Post by demonskull on Aug 28, 2018 22:37:22 GMT
The throwing arrows referenced were tossed using a cord wrapped around the throwing hand. A notch is carved into the arrow and the arrow is tossed/thrown in a similar fashion to a sling bullet without the circular built up of speed. This will give you a quick idea on how they work. sensiblesurvival.org/2013/01/02/make-a-throwing-arrow/There are a good few other sites that mention them.
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Post by leviathansteak on Aug 29, 2018 1:48:04 GMT
Throwing arrows/ javelins thrown with the help of a cord are featured in one of todd's videos
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Post by bluetrain on Aug 29, 2018 19:25:40 GMT
I had seen his (Todd's) videos before and found them very interesting. I doubt the Crow Indian arrows for throwing had any historical connection to anything in Europe. Also, the steel head was unlike anything else I have ever seen, being essentially a spike about four or five inches long (the exposed part). It actually looks rather practical, though not something practical enough for hunting. The shaft doesn't appear to be as thick or (presumably) heavy as Todd's, either. The arrowhead seems to be secured with wire wrapping but it isn't clear.
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Post by billy02 on Sept 3, 2018 6:23:12 GMT
First for me.
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Post by bluetrain on Sept 3, 2018 9:08:44 GMT
There's a first time for everything. And a last time, too.
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