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A macuahuitl ([maːˈkʷawit͡ɬ]) is a weapon, a wooden sword with several embedded obsidian blades. The name is derived from the Nahuatl language and means "hand-wood". [2] Its sides are embedded with prismatic blades traditionally made from obsidian, which is capable of producing an edge sharper than high quality steel razor blades.
The macuahuitl was an offensive weapon used by the Aztecs in combat. Europeans called it the Aztec sword, but it was neither curved nor made of metal.
This “obsidian chainsaw,” as it’s often now called, was likely the most feared weapon wielded by Aztec warriors both before and during the era of Spanish conquest in Mesoamerica starting in the 15th century.
Made of obsidian and wood, the Macuahuitl was a sharp and deadly weapon that was designed to maim and hurt rather than kill outright. The Aztecs used it to capture their enemies and sacrifice them later to their gods.
By far the single most important weapon used by Aztec soldiers was the macuahuitl, a kind of saw-sword carved of wood and affixed with an edge of obsidian razor blades and bitumen adhesive.
The macuahuitl was an Aztec obsidian sword that sent fear into the hearts of the conquistadors. The Spanish conquerors of the 16th century were met by the sophisticated Aztec culture when they first landed on the shores of Mexico.
The macuahuitl was a wooden weapon somewhere between a club, a broadsword and a chainsaw. Shaped like a cricket bat, its edges were lined with razor-sharp obsidian blades that would have been capable of severing limbs and inflicting devastating harm.
Explore the history, design, and legacy of the Aztec Macuahuitl, a formidable weapon crafted from obsidian and wielded by Aztec warriors in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Discover its role in warfare, its influence on Mesoamerican culture, and its lasting impact as a symbol of indigenous resistance.
The maquahuitl predates the Aztecs. Tools made from obsidian fragments were used by some of the earliest Mesoamericans. Obsidian used in ceramic vessels has been found at Aztec sites. Obsidian cutting knives, sickles, scrapers, drills, razors, and arrow points have also been found. [19]
Known as the Aztec sword, this weapon was not a real sword cast in metal but made from oak wood. Its edges were set with obsidian blades (volcanic glass), and Aztec warriors used these to slash throats and inflict painful wounds that caused heavy bleeding.