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Ever wondered how people were able to send a projectile point through the thick hide of a mastodon, or even an elk or deer, long before there was a bow-and-arrow? Archaeologists think all the points found before about A.D. 600 were used on altatl darts. The atlatl is a stick with a grip on one end and a hook at the other that propels a flexible dart with a point on its tip. The stick serves as a lever to double the length of your arm and provide at least two to four times the distance and power of the unaided arm--truly an impressive weapon. Experiments on modern (dead) elephants have shown that an atlatl-thrown dart can readily penetrate the hide.