ADDISON — The Chimney Point State Historic Site in Addison turns into a competition ground on Saturday, Sept. 19, for the 20th annual Northeast Open Atlatl Championship.
Turn back the clock thousands of years and participate in or watch a competition using an atlatl (pronounced “attle-attle”), which is an ancient spear-throwing tool. Contestants will demonstrate their prowess in accuracy and distance shooting throughout the day. Demonstrations and discussions on flint-knapping (making tools out of stone), Native American pottery manufacture, spear-point hafting, atlatl making and craft sales will take place throughout the day.
The event is a highlight of September’s Vermont Archaeology Month. Demonstrations run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; competition registration starts at 10:30 am. The admission fee is $5 for adults and free for children under 15. The competitor fee is $6 with pre-registration, or $7 on the day. Call 802-759-2412 to register.
For those interested in designing their own atlatl, or spear-thrower, the 20th annual atlatl workshop will take place on Friday, Sept. 18, from noon to 5 p.m. with Robert Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl. The $65 fee includes materials, instruction and coaching. At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will walk away with their own atlatl and three fletched darts. Pre-registration is required.
For more information about this event, please go to the Vermont Archaeology Month Facebook page, the Vermont Archaeology Month web page at http://historicsites.vermont.gov/vt_history/archaeology’ or the Vermont State-Owned Historic Sites webpage at http://historicsites.vermont.gov.