During the Early Archaic period, hunters continued to use spears for hunting. They used the same tools, with shorter handles, as knives. At about the same time, someone, or perhaps many people at different times and places, developed a new weapon.
The atlatl or spear thrower enabled Archaic hunters to throw their spears with great force. The atlatl appeared in Illinois at least 10,000 years ago (8,000 B.C.). The handle with its hooked tip had the effect of lengthening the throwing arm, allowing Archaic hunters to throw their spears harder and more accurately from greater distances. A hunter held the atlatl by one end, set the end of the spear in the hook of the atlatl, and launched the spear at his prey with a snap of his forearm.
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