Anderson River Throwing-Board
This is an arctic Anderson River style throwing-board. The original was collected at the Anderson River, Alaska in 1866. The image is from "Throwing-Sticks In The National Museum" by Otis T. Mason, published by the Smithsonian Institute in 1890.
Here is the accompanying text:
Anderson River type. The specific marks are the extreme plainness of form, the lack of accomodations for the thumb and fingers, excepting the eccentric index-finger hole, the poor groove for the harpoon shaft, and the absence of a hook or spur at the bottom of this groove...In another specimen seen from the same locality the shaft groove is squared after the manner of the Cumberland Gulf type.
Material:
Wood, 17" x 1 1/2" x 3/4"
Construction:
- Starting 6" from the handle end, slant it down to 3/4" wide at the peg end. Leave one edge straight.
- Cut the groove. Starting 3/4" from the peg end, cut a 3/8" wide groove. Make it 3/8" deep at the peg end, sloping up to 1/8" deep at the handle.
- Round off the ends and edges.
- Drill the fingerhole. Make it 3/4" for a small finger, 1" for a large finger, and slightly wider from side-to-side.
- Sand it all smooth.
Note: The original was a female atlatl (no peg). If you want to make it the authentic way, just leave out the peg.
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