Tepoztopilli
| Tepoztopilli | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Information | |
| Weapon type: | spear |
| Use: | War weapon, hunting weapon |
| Creation time: | 1st millennium BC Chr. |
| Working time: | 1000 BC BC to 1500 |
| Region of origin / author: |
Aztecs |
| Distribution: | Aztecs |
| Overall length: | approx. 160 to 180 cm |
| Blade length: | approx. 20 cm |
| Handle: | Wood, obsidian |
| Lists on the subject | |
The tepoztopilli was an Aztec spear that was used for both hunting and fighting.
Description and use
This spear was made of wood as high as a man, into which a head made of hard wood was inserted. Obsidian blades were then attached to this head with the help of resin or other natural glue . This gave a weapon that could be used both as a spear and as a kind of halberd . It was often used for warriors in the first line of a formation because they had enough space for such a large weapon. The Macana was built similarly .
history
The Tepoztopilli originated in the first millennium BC. And was used until 1492, the arrival of the Spaniards . During this time the jaguar warriors of the Aztecs with these spears were feared. After that they had no chance against the metal swords of the conquistadors .
The last original copy of a Tepoztopilli was destroyed in 1884: It was stored in a museum in Madrid when a fire broke out and destroyed the valuable collection.
literature
- Hassig, Ross: Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control , 1988, University of Oklahoma Press, ISBN 0-8061-2121-1