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WABUKAN Arsenal · Bows and projectiles · Americas

Spear-thrower (atlatl)

A lever as long as the forearm or arm that holds the butt of a dart and lengthens the throwing arm, giving the dart much more speed.

Spear-thrower (atlatl)
Spear-thrower (atlatl) WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

spear-thrower, atlatl (Nahuatl), hul’che (Maya), woomera (Dharug, Australia), nuqaq (Yup’ik)

Origin and history

The spear-thrower is believed to have been used by Homo sapiens since the Upper Palaeolithic, around 30,000 years ago, and it appears independently in several parts of the world. In the Americas it may have arrived across the Bering land bridge and was still widespread at first European contact, despite the bow; it is shown in the art of several pre-Columbian cultures. Aboriginal Australians developed the woomera in the mid-Holocene and some still hunt with it, and Yup’ik hunters near the mouth of the Yukon still use it for seal hunting. It has also been revived as a sport.

Martial arts that use it

Seen in traditional practice, historical reenactment and demonstrations; no art page on WABUKAN yet.

Construction

A shaft with a cup or a spur at the far end that supports and pushes the butt of the dart, usually about as long as the user’s arm or forearm. The dart is much longer than the thrower. The Australian woomera is usually made of mulga wood and doubles as a tool.

Basic techniques

Training

Ranged weapons are trained on a range with a safe backstop: stance, grip, release and breathing are repeated until the movement is identical every time. Distance increases only after the form is stable.

Safety

Only shoot or throw on a supervised range with a safe backstop, never towards anything you would not want to hit, and never retrieve while others are shooting or throwing.

Legality (general information)

Bows, throwing blades and similar weapons are often legal to own but may only be used on approved ranges or under club rules; some throwing weapons (such as shuriken or throwing stars) are banned outright in several countries. This is general information, not legal advice: check local law and your federation’s rules.

Did you know?

Lacrosse sticks, the cesta of jai alai and plastic ball throwers for dogs all work on the same principle.

More weapons

Crossbow Javelin Fukiya (blowgun) English longbow Yumi Sling

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Spear-thrower