Atlatl at Anasazi Heritage Center

In the book The Ruin there are several themes. One of them is survival of the body through obtaining food and keeping warm. At the 7000+ elevation in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado the growing season is short. Cliff's family is short on cash but rich in resource on the farm. They eat plenty of fresh produce and meat. As Cliff goes into self imposed exile he can gather fresh produce in the wild, but his diet is accustomed to meat. Through such resources as Mesa Verde and displays of the ancient weaponry dating, some think as far back as 500,000 years in human history, he has seen the "atlatl".

Can he learn to use this weapon to hunt the game available in the canyon where he hides and tries to learn whether there is a place for him on this earth.

Photos: Upper two photos, arrow and spear on display at the Anasazi Heritage Center at Dolores Colorado. The second photo shows the dart that is inserted into the end of the fletched portion of the spear.

Third photo down, diorama at Mesa Verde National Park Museum showing hunters making and testing weapons including the atlatl.

Fourth and fifth photos, display of the atlatl and spear at the Mesa Verde National Park Museum.

Sixth (last) photo, the atlatl. The leather at the top are for the two fingers to fit into and the barb at the lower end fits into a notch at the fletched end of the spear.

Respectfully submitted,

Kenneth Fenter