Atlatl Spear-Thrower

Timeline

1. c. 500–900Mesoamerican highlands · MexicoWarriors and hunters of Classic and Early Postclassic city-states alike used the spear-thrower, often paired with obsidian or flint points, as basic equipment for long-range strikes in Mesoamerica.
2. c. 1081–1090Tula · MexicoToltec warriors continued to use the spear-thrower in military activities at the capital of Tula, together with shields, cotton armor, and obsidian-edged weapons; image traditions such as the Tula warrior figures reflect this kind of armament.
3. c. 1200–1521Aztec Empire region · MexicoPostclassic polities such as the Aztecs still equipped the spear-thrower, but it rapidly lost battlefield dominance after engagements with Spanish firearms, surviving only in some traditional hunting.