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the tlahuiztli suit, the ehuatl was used primarily in the areas to the east of Tenochtitlan, stretching from Tetzcoco to Tlaxcallan.
112 The tunic was fashioned of cloth over which feathers were set in rows. It had a hanging border of feathers,113 and it resisted lances, arrows, and even swords.114 Because it lacked sleeves and leggings, however, the ehuatl appears functionally inferior to the tlahuiztli suits,115 and its continued use may have been due to its divine associations, as many gods bearing arms are depicted thus clad. Examples are shown in murals at Teotihuacan116 and in carvings at early postelassic Chi-chen Itza.117 |
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Some warriors (mostly higher nobles) also wore other body armor. Among these were armbands (matemecatl) and greaves (cotze-huatl) of wood, bark, or very thin gold; both were covered with leather and feathers. There were also wristlets (matzopetztli)118 (see fig. 13). These pieces were worn with the ehuatl but were of little protective value. |
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Some helmets made of wood and bone were highly decorated with feathers,119 while others were made of the heads of wild animalswolves, jaguars, and pumasover a frame of wood or over quilted cotton, with the wearer gazing out from the animal's opened jaw.120 |
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Some warriors wore a wide breechcloth (maxtlatl) that covered their thighs.121 Over this was often worn a hip-cloth.122 Sandals (cactli) were also worn by some of the warriors.123 |
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Several other weapons served little or no martial functions in post-classic central Mexicoblowguns, axes, and knives. |
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The blowgun (tlacalhuazcuahuitl) was used primarily for hunting birds and was not a military weapon.124 It was a hollow tube 125 through which molded clay pellets were propelled by blowing.126 Pellets ranging from 8.5 to 34 millimeters (averaging 14.7 millimeters, or 0.31.3 inch, averaging 0.6 inch) were found at the classic site of Teotihuacan, indicating a blowgun of 1. 5 to 1. 7 meters (55.5 feet) in length.127 |
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The ax (tlateconi) is frequently depicted in codices in martial contexts,128 but it is not mentioned in the chronicle accounts.129 |
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