"The atlati is the tool ancient peoples used to 'bring home the bacon.'"
Robert "Atlati Bob" Perkins, primitive technologist
When Spaniards first met the Aztecs in around 1500, the explorers were horrified when their armor was easily penetrated by the Aztec throwing darts. The Aztecs achieved this feat with the atlati, a simple device used by many ancient peoples for long-range hunting. It probably dates from around 23,000 B.C.E.
The atlati consists of a throwing board and a dart about 6 feet (180 cm) long. The board, typically about 2 feet (60 cm) long, has a spur at its end. The dart's rear is cut down the middle so that it fits onto the spur like two fingers around a card.
Gripping a handle at the front end of the throwing board, the atlati thrower can hurl the dart with considerably more force than he could by hand.
During the thrower's tennis swing-like motion, the flexible dart flexes and energy builds up. The dart is weighted with a stone tip and often another counterweight to maximize the buildup of energy.
When the atlati dart is released, the spring energy in the flexible dart is added to the forward force, accelerating the dart to speeds that can exceed 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). The atlati was so effective at bringing down prey that some scholars speculate it may have played a significant role in the extinction of the North American woolly mammoth. Now, at least 25,000 years after its invention, the atlati is still used by enthusiastic hobbyists.
