Aztec Weapons – Defensive Aztec Weaponry
Aztec Warriors & Warfare – Ancient Armor, Aztec Shields & Helmets
Nov 1, 2009
Aztec warriors, unlike the Spanish Conquistadors, were generally protected on the battlefield by a combination of wooden and heavy cotton defensive weaponry. Aztec armor, despite the lack of metallic protection, was effective. The Conquistadors themselves would soon adapt their own body armor to include elements of Aztec design, primarily due to the heat and humidity of their new environment.
Defensive Aztec Weapons – Aztec Warrior Body Armor
The principal element of Aztec body armor was the ichcahuipilli – the quilted cotton body armor worn by most Aztec warriors. Normally sleeveless, the ichcahuipilli was, according to historian Ross Hassig, “so thick (one and a half to two fingers) that neither an arrow nor an atlatl dart could penetrate it”.
The effectiveness of the ichcahuipilli body armor impressed itself upon the Spanish Conquistadors, who would soon favor the cotton armor over their more traditional metal cuirass. The heat and humidity of the region made this cooler and lighter cotton armor a more viable option. Freedom of movement was also maintained, allowing the Aztec warriors to move rapidly and weild the varying offensive Aztec weapon types with ease.
Aztec Armor – Aztec Warrior War Suits
A war suit would be worn over the thick ichcahuipilli Aztec armor. While not as robust as the cotton armor, the war suit (tlahuiztli) would offer further protection to the torso as well as the arms and legs of Aztec warriors. The nature of the tlahuiztli suit would depend upon both the social and military rank of each Aztec warrior.
Commoners may have foregone the war suit altogether, making do with basic cloth garments and body paint. Noble warriors wore feathered suits or suits made from animal skins. These provided extra protection against projectile weapons and glancing blows, particularly for the arms and legs. The most easily recognizable war suits belonged to the military orders of the Aztec Jaguar and Eagle Warriors.
Some Aztec nobles and veteran Aztec warriors of the military societies wore feathered tunics (ehuatl) over their cotton armor. These elite Aztec warriors would sometimes protect themselves further with greaves and arm protectors made from wood or very thin gold.
Aztec Helmets – Ancient Armor of the Aztec Warriors
Not all Aztec warriors wore a helmet. The top-knot of hair worn by Aztec warriors would often serve as the only protection against blows to the head. When worn, the simplest Aztec helmets were made from hardwoods such as mahogany and were often decorated with feathers. Helmets were more commonly worn by the veteran warriors of the Aztec military societies.
Jaguar Warriors, for example, were allowed to wear helmets specifically relating to their warrior class. Their quilted cotton or wooden framed helmets were further strengthened and embellished with jaguar heads, the warrior looking out through the open jaws of the animal. A Jaguar Warrior’s wood and bone helmet increased head protection and, combined with his war suit, served as a psychological weapon against enemy troops.
Aztec Shields – Defensive Weaponry of the Aztec Warriors
Aztec shields varied in size and design, but were almost exclusively circular. Two recorded shield types are the otlachimalli and the cuauhchimalli. The former was made of woven cane backed by heavy cotton while the later was a heavier wooden shield. Other shield types were constructed with varying combinations of bamboo, maguey fiber, cotton and, at times, beaten copper.
Aztec shields were heavily decorated, particularly amongst the veteran warriors. Feathers, painted animal hides, and gold and silver served as ornamentation to display the status of the owner. A lower fringe of feather or cloth strips also served to protect a warrior’s legs.
Hassig notes a further shield type which “was constructed so that it rolled up when it was not needed in fighting and unrolled to cover the body from head to toe”. Unfortunately, the design and construction of this shield type is not elaborated upon. A combination of bamboo and maguey fiber or cotton strips would seem the most likely construction method for such a large and flexible Aztec shield.
Sources:
Ross Hassig – Aztec Warfare: Emperial Expansion and Political Control, University of Oklahoma Press, 1988, ISBN 0806127732
John Pohl & Charles M. Robinson – Aztecs and Conquistadores, Osprey Publishing, 2005, ISBN 1841769347
Richard A. Gabriel – Soldier's Lives Through History, Greenwood Press, 2007, ISBN 0313333483
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout – The Aztecs: New Perspectives, ABC-CLIO, 2005, ISBN 157607921X
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