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Late Pleistocene Clovis atlatl hunting fails a chronological modeling test

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Late Pleistocene North American foragers assigned to the Clovis culture have long been assumed to have hunted megafauna with the atlatl, which would have provided several advantages. Yet, we chronologically modeled radiocarbon ages from preserved Holocene atlatls and show that Clovis atlatl use is not supported. If Clovis hunters did not use atlatl technology, then its emergence in the Americas during the early Holocene represents a case of technological convergent evolution analogous to atlatls in Late Pleistocene Europe. A further implication is if Clovis hunters used spears, javelins, or bow technology then models concerning megafaunal hunting need to be rethought given the distinct effectiveness, hunting risk, and tactics associated with these weapons.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2607964123

Authors: Metin I. Eren, Michelle R. Bebber, Robert S. Walker, C. Reagan Johnson, Briggs Buchanan

Institutions: Kent State University, University of Cambridge, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, University of Missouri, Southern Methodist University, University of Tulsa

Language: English

Topic: Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology

Subfield: Anthropology

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

OpenAlex ID: W7166554937

FWCI: 24.28

Cites: 16

Cited by: 1

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