Pre-colombian weapons anyone?

Jim McDougall · 23rd October 2008, 08:18 PM

Excellent example posted by Lew! and the text accompanying the macuahuitl in Burton's "Book of the Sword" gives a great overview on these Aztec weapons. It is unfortunate that the last surviving example of these obsidian bladed broadswords was destroyed in the disastrous fire in the Armeria Real in Madrid in 1884 (ironically in the same year that Burton's book was published). Along with it was the accompanying polearms also with obsidian blades known as the 'tepoztopilli'.

As Fearn has noted, there is great interest in the atlatl, which is a long arrow launched with a short pole basically, that also exists from prehistoric times. In our travels through Montana we came through a small town named Havre, where there remains an archaeological site where the prehistoric native inhabitants in hunting bison would drive the herd off a cliff, and harvest the valuable means of their survival.
At the site, there were people demonstrating the use of these atlatl, and it was amazing how effective they were.

Like Fearn, I do not collect originals, nor weapons at all any longer, but am fascinated in learning about them, and seeing the replicas used like this gives great illustration of how many weapon forms developed through the millenia.

Best regards,
Jim

23rd October 2008, 08:18 PM	#8
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Excellent example posted by Lew! and the text accompanying the macuahuitl in Burton's "Book of the Sword" gives a great overview on these Aztec weapons. It is unfortunate that the last surviving example of these obsidian bladed broadswords was destroyed in the disastrous fire in the Armeria Real in Madrid in 1884 (ironically in the same year that Burton's book was published). Along with it was the accompanying polearms also with obsidian blades known as the 'tepoztopilli'. As Fearn has noted, there is great interest in the atlatl, which is a long arrow launched with a short pole basically, that also exists from prehistoric times. In our travels through Montana we came through a small town named Havre, where there remains an archaeological site where the prehistoric native inhabitants in hunting bison would drive the herd off a cliff, and harvest the valuable means of their survival. At the site, there were people demonstrating the use of these atlatl, and it was amazing how effective they were. Like Fearn, I do not collect originals, nor weapons at all any longer, but am fascinated in learning about them, and seeing the replicas used like this gives great illustration of how many weapon forms developed through the millenia. Best regards, Jim