[Aztlan] Aztlan Digest, Vol 33, Issue 22

[rod44 at comcast.net]

Best contemporary description of Aztec Warfare I've read comes from Bernal Diaz del Castillo "La Conquista de Mexico.   His descriptions of combat wounds etc, well describes the use of the  Macanatl  (obsidian edged wooden sword) and their preference for injuring and capturing the enemy vs. killing in combat. 
> Today's Topics:
> 
>    1. Incan Aztec and Mayan Weaponry (John Lennox)
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> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:52:29 -0400
> From: "John Lennox" <jxnbard at dmci.net>
> Subject: [Aztlan] Incan Aztec and Mayan Weaponry
> To: <aztlan at lists.famsi.org>
> Message-ID: <0b9001c907ba$5dadc2f0$0201a8c0 at John>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Hello,
> My name is Dr. John Lennox, and I am new to the list. I am a practitioner and 
> researcher of Western Martial Arts, and have recently shifted my interest to the 
> weapons of the Incas, Aztecs and Mayans. I have looked at the sections of the 
> codices that can be found online, so I am familiar with their weapons. My 
> question to the list is: Is there any mention either in the codices, or 
> engravings of any system of combat taught to the warriors in these cultures? 
> Descriptions of various battles would also be helpful. However, what those 
> descriptions do not tell us is whether or not there existed a specific system 
> taught to warriors. 
> 
> Normally, when there does not exist an extant system of combat for a weapon, 
> such as the Roman Gladius for example, we as practitioners/researchers work with 
> the weapon using the foundations of combat theory to attempt to re-create what 
> the combat style may have been. I would, however, prefer to find some type of 
> system for these civilizations so that I may re-create their martial culture as 
> faithfully as possible.
> 
> Information on folk dances can be helpful as well. Often the folk dances of a 
> civilization are linked to their martial culture. Especially in cases where the 
> culture has been conquered, martial training for the men continues in the form 
> of folk dances using canes, kerchiefs, etc. to simulate their traditional 
> weapons.
> 
> Any information at all would be immensely helpful and greatly appreciated. A 
> friend of mine mentioned a researcher named Ross Hassig, whom she noted was an 
> expert on Mesoamerican warfare. Could anyone on this list put me in touch with 
> him?
> 
> Thank you again, in advance for your assistance.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> John Lennox
>  
> 
>