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Announcements

23 September 2007
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"Opochtli, the
Aztec 'patron saint' of atlatls"
Who is Opochtli?
"Opochtli, also known
as 'the Left Handed One' or 'He Who Divides the Waters', was
the god of those who made their living in the lakes and marshes
of the Valley of Mexico, particularly the southern part of
the basin. As such, he is credited with the invention of items
associated with fishing and hunting waterfowl, in particular
the atlatl and harpoon" -- Luther
College
Atlatl HomePage
Atlatl (pronounced AHT-lah-tuhl) is an Aztec word
meaning "spear-thrower" -- spear-thrower the thing, not spear-thrower
the person.
It looks like the prehistoric hunting weapon, which goes back
to the earliest human times in what is now Middle America,
may be making a comeback.
National Geographic News (24 January 2006), reviewed
progress to have the "Stone-Age spear throwers" made legal
for hunting in Pennsylvania.
So it looks like we're finally catching up to "Stone-Age"
New World hunters.
(I didn't say "Mesoamerican" hunters, because technically
there was no "Mesoamerica" until the people in current-day
Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras began settling down in agricultural
villages in the "Preclassic.")
For thousands of years before the "Preclassic" hunters in
what is now Middle America -- during what is known as the "Early
Hunters" or "Paleo-Indian" or "Lithic" stage -- made their
living with the atlatl.
Have a look at the National Geographic article Ancient Spear Weapon OK'd For Deer Hunt in Pennsylvania.
Read the article on atlatl hunting in the National
Geographic News, and then post your reaction to it on the
forum. The article can be found at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/01/0124_060124_atlatl_deer.html
In October 2007 it was reported
in the Duluth News Tribune that the Arrowhead
Bowhunters Alliance 2007 hunt in
Duluth, MN, is "off to a productive start...."
"We’re
over 140 deer,'" Phillip Lockett president of the Arrowhead
Bowhunters Alliance, which conducts the hunt for the city
said of the harvest. “That’s really good. I think
last year at this time the count was about 75” (Sunday,
September 30, 2007).
"Last fall, 251 hunters registered
for the [Duluth, MN, city] hunt, and 195 of them took a total
of 564 deer, 86 percent of them antlerless. This year,
314 hunters registered and passed shooting proficiency
tests to become eligible for the hunt."
"Lockett said no problems have been reported
in this fall’s hunt. For more information on the
hunt, including a venison donation program, go to www.bowhuntersalliance.org."
Related Sites
Questions:
1. What is your reaction to the legalization
of the atlatl for hunting big game animals?
2.
Should atlatl hunting be allowed as part of the Duluth "bow
hunt"? Why? Or, why not?
If you have any questions, you can post them on the MAforum,
or bring them up in class.
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REM: If you have
any questions, you can post them on the MAforum
or bring them up in class
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Features
of the Day

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Assignments
Read: |
Mexico, Ch. 4, "The Preclassic Period: Early
Villagers," pp. 41-60 |
| Read: |
Mexico, Ch. 5, "The Preclassic Period: Early Civilizations,"
pp. 61-77 |
| Post: |
MAforum |
| Work
on: |
Case
Study |
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Notes
- Thursday, 7 February 2008: Ended with Central Highland Mexico: Tepeapulco, Hidalgo, (slides), #5 tlachiquero, and the role of pulque in Ancient Mexico
- Tuesday 12 February 2008: Presented as scheduled
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