Atlatl: The Ancient Throwing Spear #shorts

Picture the device you might use to throw your dog's tennis ball, and you basically have the modern version of the Eplato. This ancient throwing device, which archaeologists believe to have been used around 5000 BC, consisted of a thin shaft with a hook or a cup at one end to hold the base of a spear or a sharpened stick.

Emerging within many cultures around the world, including Australia, Europe and Africa, this rather smart invention enabled hunters to kill their prey from much further distances and with far greater accuracy than throwing by hand.

The Eplato not only impacted the success of hunting, but also played an important role in ancient warfare. Armies were able to attack from much safer distances, and because it could be used with one hand, soldiers were able to shield themselves with the other. In close combat, the weapon could also be used as a club against the enemy.