Spear-thrower (atlatl)
Propulsor (átlatl)
- Date
- c. 20 ka · confidence medium
- Place
- Combe Saunière, Dordogne, France
- Credited to
- Homo sapiens (Solutrean-Magdalenian)
- Field
- Conflict
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
Reindeer-antler hooks that extend the arm and multiply the speed of the dart. The first simple machine (lever) applied to hunting.
It may be much older (proposed at Sibudu, 64 ka, with no preserved hooks). Independent invention in Australia and perhaps in the Americas.
What it led to
- Hunting at 30–40 m with great power: greater safety against large herbivores
- Portable art on spear-throwers: decorated prestige objects
- Spread across Eurasia, the Americas (Clovis) and Australia (woomera)
Built on
- Hafting of stone pointsc. 500 ka
- Wooden spear (Schöningen)c. 300 ka
- Birch bark tar adhesivec. 200 ka
- Microliths (backed bladelets)c. 71 ka
- Blade technology (Mode 4)c. 50 ka
- Split-based antler and bone pointc. 40 ka
- Wooden spear (Schöningen)
- Blade technology (Mode 4)
- Hafting of stone points