Native American Spears
Spears are another kind of Native American weapon that dates back to ancient times. Like bows and arrows, spears were used for both hunting and warfare. Native American spears were particularly powerful weapons due to the special atlatls (also known as spear-throwers, throwing-sticks, or throwing boards) the Indians used to launch their spears. An atlatl is a thin wooden shaft with a hollowed-out cup at the end. By balancing the butt of the spear in the cup and then swinging the atlatl, Native American hunters and warriors could increase their leverage to hurl spears much faster and further than they could using their arms alone. Conquistadors and other early Europeans who fought with Native American tribes reported that spears propelled from atlatls were capable of penetrating chain mail armor. The word "atlatl" comes from the Aztec language, but this tool was used by most tribes throughout North America, Central America, and much of South America.