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Despite being sharper, prismatic obsidian is also considerably more brittle than steel; obsidian blades of the type used on the macuahuitl tended to shatter on impact with other obsidian blades, steel swords or plate armour. Obsidian blades also have difficulty penetrating European mail. The thin, replaceable blades used on the macuahuitl were ...
Obsidian projectile point.. Obsidian is a naturally formed volcanic glass that was an important part of the material culture of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.Obsidian was a highly integrated part of daily and ritual life, and its widespread and varied use may be a significant contributor to Mesoamerica's lack of metallurgy.
Many of the obsidian shards used for macanas were prismatic blade segments, which are among the most abundant lithics at late sites in the Maya lowlands. [1] Archeology in sites with macana remains has revealed that some sites, particularly those with large numbers of segments, had bimodal – smaller (ca. 8–10mm) and larger (ca. 20–24 +) – length distributions.
These obsidian blades were used as the Mayans' primary cutting utensil. [12] During the 1890s in California, obsidian blades held significant cultural value and were seen as heirlooms within certain tribes. Many were reluctant to show these blades which were usually hidden away where only the owner knew the location until it was passed down. [13]
Due to the difficulty in conserving such an object it remains buried. A Maya canoe paddle has also been found in Paynes Creek at the K'ak' Naab' salt works. The paddle is 1.43 m in length with an oval shaped blade and no grip at the top; radiocarbon dates have identified it as being from the Late Classic, specifically between 680 and 880 CE. [28]
The sites were built and occupied by the Upano people from about 500 B.C. to between 300 A.D. and 600 A.D., with the size of the population yet to be determined.
Obsidian spear tips, which were found extensively throughout the site, were the primary weapon used based on the number found at the site. Other weapons included darts and atlatl darts. The site reveals a key feature of Mayan war - that being the involvement of the royal elites in the manufacture and execution of warfare.
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