Battles & Wars › Prehistory & first cities › Spear: the oldest weapon
Spear-thrower (atlatl)
at least 17,500 years ago (France)· Invention or discovery· Weapons, armor & warships
Mostly agreedGood evidence; some details, dates or numbers uncertain.
A hooked throwing stick that works like an extra arm segment, hurling a light spear, or dart, much faster and farther.
See it on the Battles & Wars map →What happened
The thrower holds one end; a hook at the other fits into the back of a long, flexible dart. The stick lengthens the arm's lever, so the dart leaves at higher speed, with a useful range of perhaps 30 to 40 meters (100 to 130 feet). The oldest known, from Combe-Saunière in France, is at least 17,500 years old. It was used across Europe, the Americas and Australia, where it is called the woomera. The word atlatl comes from Nahuatl, the Aztecs' language.
Why it matters
It gave hunters and warriors real range before bows spread. Aztec warriors still fought with it against the Spanish in 1521.
How we know
Carved antler and bone throwers from Ice Age France, wooden ones preserved in dry caves in the Americas, rock art, Aztec-era pictures and Spanish accounts.
Still debated
Its first invention is unknown, since wooden throwers rarely survive; some archaeologists think it is much older than 17,500 years.
Connections (3)
▸Spear-thrower (atlatl) extended the throwing range of the Spear: the oldest weaponWell documented
The connection
A spear thrown by hand travels only so far. The atlatl acts as an extra arm segment, adding leverage, so a light spear or dart flies much faster and farther. It turned the throwing spear into a true long-range weapon for hunters and warriors.
When and how
France by at least 17,500 years ago (Combe-Saunière), and later in the Americas, Australia and parts of Asia.
How we know
Surviving throwers and darts, the fit between hooks and dart ends, and modern experiments measuring speed and range.
Debates and open questions
How much farther atlatl darts flew in combat than hand-thrown spears is argued; experimental results vary widely with skill and design.
▸Spear-thrower (atlatl) was still used by Aztec warriors at the Fall of TenochtitlanWell documented
The connection
Though Mesoamerican armies also had bows, Aztec warriors still used the atlatl to hurl darts. During the siege of Tenochtitlan in 1521, Spanish accounts describe showers of darts, arrows and stones from canoes and rooftops against Cortés's men and their Tlaxcalan allies.
When and how
Tenochtitlan, today's Mexico City, May–August 1521; Aztec defenders under Cuauhtémoc against Hernán Cortés and his Indigenous allies.
How we know
Spanish chronicles such as Bernal Díaz del Castillo's, Aztec-era codices showing warriors with throwers, and decorated Aztec atlatls in museums.
Debates and open questions
How effective atlatl darts were against Spanish steel and the padded cotton armor many Spaniards adopted is debated; accounts vary.
▸Spear-thrower (atlatl) was gradually replaced by the Bow and arrowMostly agreed
The connection
In many regions the bow eventually took over from the atlatl. Bows shoot lighter arrows, can be aimed from a kneeling or hidden position, and allow quicker repeat shots. The switch happened at different times: in Europe near the end of the Ice Age, in much of North America around AD 500.
When and how
Europe roughly 12,000–10,000 years ago; much of North America about AD 200–700.
How sure are we?
A shift in stone points from larger dart points to small arrowheads, dated by radiocarbon, plus weapons preserved in dry caves.
Debates and open questions
Why the switch happened is debated, and Aboriginal Australians kept the spear-thrower and never adopted the bow. In Africa the bow seems older than the atlatl.