Spear-thrower

A handheld lever that launches a spear or dart farther and faster by extending the thrower’s arm. It is also called an atlatl.

Atlatl dart: A long, slender projectile designed to be launched with a spear-thrower. Its length and flexibility affect how the lever transfers energy during launch.
Spear: A long-shafted weapon or tool with a pointed end, designed for thrusting or throwing. Spears are the projectiles that gave the device its name and early purpose.
Upper Paleolithic: The later part of the Paleolithic, beginning roughly 50,000 years ago and ending with the last Ice Age. Spear-thrower use is attested in parts of the Upper Paleolithic.
Prehistoric hunting: The pursuit and capture of animals by humans before recorded history. A spear-thrower increases the range and force available to hunters.
La Madeleine spear-thrower: An Upper Paleolithic carved antler spear-thrower discovered at La Madeleine in France. Its carved bison figure forms a hook used to engage the projectile.
Lever: A rigid bar that pivots around a fulcrum to transmit or multiply force. A spear-thrower functions as a lever, extending the arm’s effective reach.
Dart: A slender pointed projectile designed to fly through the air toward a target. Many spear-throwers launch darts rather than full-sized spears.
Paleolithic art: Art produced by humans during the Paleolithic, including cave paintings and carved objects. Engraved spear-throwers show that some examples were both tools and works of art.
Pleistocene megafauna: The large-bodied animals that lived during the Pleistocene, many of which later became extinct. Debates about hunting these animals often examine projectile technologies such as spear-throwers.
Mas d'Azil spear-thrower: A decorated prehistoric spear-thrower found at Mas d'Azil in France. It exemplifies the elaborate carved forms known from European prehistory.

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