Startled the sharp weapon cut the horse's head in an instant

Macuahuitl is the name of a strange weapon used by native civilizations in Mexico such as Aztec, Maya, Mixtec and Toltec. This weapon is a flat wooden pestle, with two edges attached to obsidian volcanic stone blades, with a handle on the bottom.

Picture 1 of Startled the sharp weapon cut the horse's head in an instant
Macuahuitl - weapon of indigenous Mexicans.

Obsidian stone is a material that creates macuahuitl damage . This stone has the ability to produce sharper edges than high quality steel blades. Overall, macuahuitl is a standard melee weapon similar to European swords. It is capable of causing serious wounds from obsidian stone blades when severely slashed.

According to studies, indigenous Mexicans have used macuahuitl as a weapon from the first millennium. This is also a key weapon they use when confronting the Spanish army since the 15th century.

According to Spanish records, macuahuitl is very cleverly crafted. The obsidian stone blade is attached very tightly, can not be removed from the wooden pestle or broken. According to Bernal Díaz del Castillo, one of the officers under the conqueror Hernán Cortés, macuahuitl can be used to decapitate a horse.

Picture 2 of Startled the sharp weapon cut the horse's head in an instant
Macuahuitl can be used to chop off a horse's head.

However, this weapon has many drawbacks in combat compared to European steel swords. Although sharper, the obsidian stone blade is significantly more brittle than steel and can be broken by the Spanish armor's armor or steel sword. Due to heavy weight, macuahuitl also lacks flexibility than swords.

In particular, when faced with cavalry groups using Spanish guns, the macuahuitl warriors were completely outdone. And the Spaniards quickly mastered the territories of indigenous Mexicans with their friendly army.