Aztec Weapons


In order for the Aztecs to become good warriors, they needed excellent weapons at their hands too. Slings, bows and arrows, knives and spears were the main Aztec weapons of choice.

Weapons of Aztec Noble Class


A noble man however, has different weapons and even adorned himself in costumes. For example, a member of the nobility would wear a jaguar or even an eagle costume.

These warriors were set apart from the plain warriors and the costumes are meant to show just that. They wore elaborate costumes with elaborate headgears, leather strips hung on their legs to protect them, brightly colored feather adorned their shields and their weapons were of excellent quality.

Obsidian was placed on their wooden clubs just so that it would be even deadlier and once it hits an opponent, the enemy would have a hard time to recover.

The Aztecs had weapons that were very intricate, while some were crude looking. But whatever the look of the weapons, all of them could kill and strike blows that would really affect their opponents.


Main Aztec Weapons


The Aztecs had weapons like dart and spear throwers which were called Atlatl. The Atlatl is a very effective weapon that can often be seen with a warrior. Lots of murals or paintings depict warriors carrying this weapon in their hands.

Another weapon is the Macuahitl, which is basically a wooden club that has obsidian on its edges. Macuahitl means “hand stick”. This weapon is said to be one of the, if not the most powerful weapon of the Aztecs. This weapon is commonly seen with the elite warriors and not with the commoners. To carry a powerful weapon such as this is one of the perks of having captured a lot of prisoners and being a high ranked person.


Aztec Armors


Of course, if the Aztecs had excellent weapons, they also had equally impressive armors. The armors that the Aztecs used could be both plain and standard or highly ornamented and personalized. Of course the plain ones went to the common soldiers while the ornamented ones went to the members of warrior societies, notable warriors and officers.

The Chimalli is an example of a shield used by the Aztecs. The Chimalli was made with different kinds of materials and often had feathers or other ornaments in front.

Another notable shield is the Ichcahuipilli. The Ichcahuipilli is a shield that is about two fingers thick and is resistant to obsidian clubs and the Atlatl. Noble men or highly skilled warriors and members of the elite usually carried the Ichcahuipilli.


The Aztecs were definitely well equipped whenever they went into battle. They had strength, courage and they believed that the gods and goddesses would protect them. They took great pride in their Aztec weapons and they trained with these weapons even as children. Many people were afraid to do battle with them simply because of their reputation.