SUNY Potsdam Anthropology Students to Compete in Atlatl Battle Versus Paul Smith's College

SUNY Potsdam and Paul Smith's College Students Compete in Ancient Spear-Throwing Competition This Weekend

POTSDAM, NY (10/13/2016)(readMedia)-- Led by Assistant Professor of Anthropology Dr. Tim Messner, SUNY Potsdam students have been hard at work constructing and trying their hand at using ancient dart-throwing tools.

It's all in preparation for a friendly Atlatl Battle against students from Paul Smith's College, led by Dr. Curt Stager, this coming weekend.

The competition will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15 in Lehman Park at SUNY Potsdam. This event is free, and the public is welcome to attend.

The teams will play by World Atlatl Association rules, and the winning campus will take home the title of Atlatl Battle 2016 Champions.

The mission of the anthropology department at SUNY Potsdam is to provide students with knowledge of the five fields of anthropology and to give them practical experience in communities so that they can approach the world professionally and anthropologically.

The College's archaeological studies program offers students a chance to gain hands-on field experience working alongside experienced faculty as undergraduates. Past field school projects have included work in the North Country and the Adirondacks, and as far away as South Africa. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/AAS/Anthro.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges -- and the oldest institution within SUNY. As the College marks its bicentennial in 2016, SUNY Potsdam is celebrating a 200-year legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 4,100 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and leadership in the arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community recently completed Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which raised $33.5 million for scholarships and programs.

###