Hundreds of artifacts reveal where the Aztecs got their obsidian

Obsidian, a volcanic rock widely used in Mesoamerica to create tools, weapons and ornamental objects, sheds new light on the intricate trade networks of the Mexicans, the empire that for two centuries ruled with iron fist the center of Mexico until the Spanish conquest. A geochemical analysis of 788 artifacts found in the Temple Major, in the heart of Mexico City, reveals new sources of origin of the obsidian circulating in Tenochtitlan, even fr…

Hundreds of artifacts reveal where the Aztecs got their obsidian

A new analysis of hundreds of obsidian artifacts from the Aztec Empire has revealed the vast trade networks that supplied obsidian, sometimes even from rivals.

Science Writing. Obsidian trade was a fundamental element of the Mexican Empire, indicates a study that analyzes artifacts of this material and suggests the existence of a sophisticated economy based not only on conquest, but also on active long-distance exchanges, even with rival states. The study -which Pnas publishes, is part of the Temple Major Project and is headed by the University of Tulane (USA) - sheds new light on the economic networks…

Many consider the Aztecs to be natives of Mexico. But they had once invaded the fertile high valleys as strangers, as aggressive warriors