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AVELLA – Visitors of all ages and skill levels are invited to try their hand at using the atlatl, a spear-thrower used by prehistoric hunters, at Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village’s 19th-annual atlatl competition from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Prehistoric hunters used the atlatl, a predecessor of the bow and arrow, to launch a spear with tremendous force, enabling them to hunt prey from relatively safe distances.
Past atlatl competitions at Meadowcroft have attracted participants from across the country, including a number of world champions. Meadowcroft’s atlatl competition has been featured in Sports Illustrated.
The World Atlatl Association-sanctioned competition features International Standard Accuracy Competition scoring guidelines and counts towards the association’s overall standings. While the competition will feature atlatlists who are currently highly ranked high in the association standings, the competition is open to the public and novices are encouraged to participate.
Meadowcroft is a National Historic Landmark that features a massive rock overhang used by the region’s earliest inhabitants for shelter 16,000 years ago.
In addition to ancient history at the Rockshelter, visitors can step inside a wigwam, pound corn into meal, and learn about tools used by American Indians as part of the 16th century Eastern Woodland Indian village. An open-side log shelter and cabin from the 1770s help to spotlight the similarities and differences between the everyday lives of European settlers and Native Americans in the Upper Ohio Valley.
Visitors to the Historic Village will observe elements of everyday family life in a 19th century Upper Ohio Valley village, such as watching a blacksmith forge red-hot iron or enjoying a lesson in a one-room schoolhouse.
Admission is $14 for adults, $13 for senior citizens and $6 for children aged 6 to 17. Children under 6 and History Center members get in free.
For information on Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, visit heinzhistorycenter.org and click the Meadowcroft tab or call (724) 587-3412.