{"id":{"repo_id":"mo-state","oai_identifier":"oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-2183"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mo-state/oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-2183","repository":{"repo_id":"mo-state","name":"Missouri State University","base_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Sticks With Stones: Controlled Experimentation in the Use of the Weighted Atlatl","abstract":"Multiple experimental studies have attempted to determine the effect that adding stone weights to an atlatl has on the mechanics of atlatl performance. Other studies have focused on the symbolic characteristics of these artifacts. Efforts to determine the function of these items have not produced conclusive results. There is still no consensus concerning the mechanical and symbolic functions of stone atlatl weights. In this study, I begin to resolve this uncertainty through a systematic experimental test of the hypothesis that adding weight to an atlatl results in a mechanical impact on weapon performance. I test this hypothesis by developing and using an atlatl launch machine to control for all sources of variation in atlatl performance. This method allows testing of the weapon effects instead of the human ones (e.g., skill, temporary physiological conditions, and the projection of expected results). A statistical analysis of the data shows that compared to an unweighted atlatl, a weighted atlatl typically produces more precise shots that travel shorter distances. These results support the hypothesis that regardless of any symbolic functions, the atlatl weight had a mechanical impact on weapon performance. These findings raise new theoretical and substantive questions about the costs and benefits of atlatl weights for precontact indigenous Americans.","abstract_html":"Multiple experimental studies have attempted to determine the effect that adding stone weights to an atlatl has on the mechanics of atlatl performance. Other studies have focused on the symbolic characteristics of these artifacts. Efforts to determine the function of these items have not produced conclusive results. There is still no consensus concerning the mechanical and symbolic functions of stone atlatl weights. In this study, I begin to resolve this uncertainty through a systematic experimental test of the hypothesis that adding weight to an atlatl results in a mechanical impact on weapon performance. I test this hypothesis by developing and using an atlatl launch machine to control for all sources of variation in atlatl performance. This method allows testing of the weapon effects instead of the human ones (e.g., skill, temporary physiological conditions, and the projection of expected results). A statistical analysis of the data shows that compared to an unweighted atlatl, a weighted atlatl typically produces more precise shots that travel shorter distances. These results support the hypothesis that regardless of any symbolic functions, the atlatl weight had a mechanical impact on weapon performance. These findings raise new theoretical and substantive questions about the costs and benefits of atlatl weights for precontact indigenous Americans.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cain, David I."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Applied Anthropology","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Sociology and Anthropology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Elizabeth Sobel"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:11Z","subjects":["atlatl","atlatl weight","bannerstone","experimental","atlatl launch machine","Anthropology"],"languages":[],"rights":["© David I. Cain"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1182","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Elizabeth Sobel"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cain, David I."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Sociology and Anthropology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Applied Anthropology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["atlatl","atlatl weight","bannerstone","experimental","atlatl launch machine","Anthropology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© David I. Cain"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1182"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Multiple experimental studies have attempted to determine the effect that adding stone weights to an atlatl has on the mechanics of atlatl performance. Other studies have focused on the symbolic characteristics of these artifacts. Efforts to determine the function of these items have not produced conclusive results. There is still no consensus concerning the mechanical and symbolic functions of stone atlatl weights. In this study, I begin to resolve this uncertainty through a systematic experimental test of the hypothesis that adding weight to an atlatl results in a mechanical impact on weapon performance. I test this hypothesis by developing and using an atlatl launch machine to control for all sources of variation in atlatl performance. This method allows testing of the weapon effects instead of the human ones (e.g., skill, temporary physiological conditions, and the projection of expected results). A statistical analysis of the data shows that compared to an unweighted atlatl, a weighted atlatl typically produces more precise shots that travel shorter distances. These results support the hypothesis that regardless of any symbolic functions, the atlatl weight had a mechanical impact on weapon performance. These findings raise new theoretical and substantive questions about the costs and benefits of atlatl weights for precontact indigenous Americans."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Sticks With Stones: Controlled Experimentation in the Use of the Weighted Atlatl"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Elizabeth Sobel"],"dc:creator":["Cain, David I."],"dc:description.abstract":["Multiple experimental studies have attempted to determine the effect that adding stone weights to an atlatl has on the mechanics of atlatl performance. Other studies have focused on the symbolic characteristics of these artifacts. Efforts to determine the function of these items have not produced conclusive results. There is still no consensus concerning the mechanical and symbolic functions of stone atlatl weights. In this study, I begin to resolve this uncertainty through a systematic experimental test of the hypothesis that adding weight to an atlatl results in a mechanical impact on weapon performance. I test this hypothesis by developing and using an atlatl launch machine to control for all sources of variation in atlatl performance. This method allows testing of the weapon effects instead of the human ones (e.g., skill, temporary physiological conditions, and the projection of expected results). A statistical analysis of the data shows that compared to an unweighted atlatl, a weighted atlatl typically produces more precise shots that travel shorter distances. These results support the hypothesis that regardless of any symbolic functions, the atlatl weight had a mechanical impact on weapon performance. These findings raise new theoretical and substantive questions about the costs and benefits of atlatl weights for precontact indigenous Americans."],"dc:identifier":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1182"],"dc:rights":["© David I. Cain"],"dc:subject":["atlatl","atlatl weight","bannerstone","experimental","atlatl launch machine","Anthropology"],"dc:title":["Sticks With Stones: Controlled Experimentation in the Use of the Weighted Atlatl"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Sociology and Anthropology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Applied Anthropology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:11Z"}