Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – The Aztecs, additionally known as the Mexicas, have been famend for his or her prowess in warfare and conquests. Nevertheless, the financial networks, rituals, and political affect of the Mexica Empire additionally closely relied on the commerce of historic obsidian artifacts. Archaeologists have uncovered how obsidian—a volcanic glass used for instruments and ceremonial objects—was an important uncooked materials in pre-Columbian instances. This materials moved extensively throughout historic Mesoamerica and considerably formed life in Tenochtitlan, the empire’s capital.
Credit score: Gary Todd – CC0, Maunus – CC BY-SA 3.0, picture compilation by AncientPages.com
In a complete research, scientists analyzed 788 obsidian artifacts excavated from the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan—the principle temple on the coronary heart of the Mexica Empire, situated in present-day Mexico Metropolis. This analysis, performed at Tulane College and the Proyecto Templo Mayor in Mexico, marks essentially the most in depth compositional research of obsidian performed at this web site.
The analysis was made doable via a partnership between Tulane and Mexico’s Proyecto Templo Mayor of the Nationwide Institute of Anthropology and Historical past (INAH), with artifacts analyzed utilizing moveable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), a non-destructive methodology that identifies the geochemical fingerprint of every artifact.
The Aztec empire in 1519 through the reign of Moctezuma Xocoyotzin or Moctezuma II. Credit score: Aldan-2 – CC BY-SA 4.0
Findings revealed that whereas inexperienced obsidian from Sierra de Pachuca was predominantly utilized by the Mexica, in addition they sourced this beneficial materials from not less than seven different areas. These included areas past their political borders reminiscent of Ucareo in Purépecha territory in West Mexico. The outcomes point out that their financial system was not solely depending on conquest but additionally thrived on refined long-distance commerce networks with rival polities.
“Though the Mexicas most well-liked inexperienced obsidian, the excessive variety of obsidian varieties, primarily within the type of non-ritual artifacts, means that obsidian instruments from a number of sources reached the capital of the Empire via market as a substitute of direct acquisition within the outcrop,” stated lead creator Diego Matadamas-Gomora, a Ph.D. candidate in Tulane’s Division of Anthropology.
“By learning the place this materials got here from, we will discover the motion of products throughout Mesoamerica.”
The evaluation revealed that almost 90% of the obsidian artifacts within the pattern have been crafted utilizing Sierra de Pachuca obsidian, valued for its distinctive inexperienced hue and its symbolic ties to the legendary metropolis of Tollan. Any such obsidian was predominantly utilized in ceremonial artifacts discovered inside buried choices on the Templo Mayor, together with miniature weapons, jewellery, and sculpture inlays.
A smaller but noteworthy portion of obsidian originated from areas reminiscent of Otumba, Tulancingo, Ucareo, and El Paraíso—areas generally past the Mexica Empire’s management. These supplies have been primarily utilized for device manufacturing and found inside development fill. This means that some of these obsidian have been accessible to the final populace via native markets slightly than being strictly regulated by state authorities.
Obsidian plates on the Museo de Arte Well-liked, Mexico Metropolis. Credit score: Thelmadatter – CC BY-SA 3.0
The research additionally examined modifications in obsidian use over time, spanning from round 1375 CE through the metropolis’s early phases to its decline in 1520 CE. Initially, there was better variety in sources for each ritualistic and on a regular basis objects. Nevertheless, following the Mexica’s consolidation of energy round 1430 CE, ritual use turned virtually solely reliant on Sierra de Pachuca obsidian. This shift signifies a rise in non secular standardization and centralized management over sources.
“This sort of compositional evaluation permits us to hint how imperial enlargement, political alliances and commerce networks advanced over time,” Matadamas-Gomora stated.
See additionally: Extra Archaeology Information
“This work not solely highlights the Mexica Empire’s attain and complexity but additionally demonstrates how the archaeological sciences could be leveraged to review historic objects and what they’ll inform us about previous cultural practices,” stated research co-author Jason Nesbitt, an affiliate professor in Tulane’s Anthropology Division.
The research was printed within the journal Proceedings of the Nationwide Academy of Sciences
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Employees Author
