Spear Thrower

200 BCE–200 CE
Overall: 5.8 x 2 cm (2 5/16 x 13/16 in.)
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location: 232 Andean

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

Spear throwers, also called atlatls, use leverage to propel a spear faster and farther through the air.

Description

Spear throwers improve a spear's range and thrust. The spear was placed against the stone pivot and hurled using the thumb rest, carved as a figure with a skeletal chest, back-bent head, and a severed human head at its rear. This figure, frequent in art, is not well understood, but its appearance here suggests a connection to death. The shaft's carving makes clever use of the bone's marrow cavity.
Spear Thrower

Spear Thrower

200 BCE–200 CE

Peru, South Coast, late Paracas or early Nasca style

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.