Aztec Black Steel and Spirit Mirrors: The Rich History of Obsidian in Mexico
Obsidian is a volcanic glass, which occurs when magma rich in silica (65 - 80%) cools so quickly that it does not have a chance to crystallize. The resulting material is amorphous (arranged without structure or form), brittle, and hard. When broken properly, it fractures into a razor sharp edge. Flintknapping is the process of flaking or chipping away parts of obsidian to create a razor sharp edge.
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| Flintknapping a piece of obsidian to make an arrowhead |
At 30 angstroms—a unit of measurement equal to one hundred millionth of a centimeter—obsidian is significantly sharper than steel. I knew about some of these properties of obsidian, but I was shocked to learn that obsidian can fracture down to a single atom! This cutting edge is said to be five hundred times sharper than a steel blade. Under a high magnification microscope, an obsidian blade appears smooth, whereas a steel blade has a saw-like edge. Some surgeons opt to use obsidian for surgeries and claim that the fine incisions of a sharp obsidian blade heal faster and produce less scarring than a steel blade.
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| Obsidian blade compared to a steel blade under a microscope |
The Aztec (Mexica) empire used obsidian for these properties and more, as it was abundant in central Mexico due to volcanic activity. Interestingly, the term Mexica is the historically correct term for the people in central Mexico, who were then misnomered by a Dutch historian as the Aztecs. Mexico was also named after the Mexicas, who flourished in central Mexico from 1300 to 1521. For the rest of this blog I’ll keep using the term Mexica in parentheses because of the historic accuracy.
At its peak, the empire ruled over most of Mesoamerica, with the seat of power in the valley of Mexico where present-day Mexico City is. The Aztecs (Mexicas) controlled large obsidian deposits near Guanajuato and used the obsidian to make weapons, tools, adornments, and to trade with other groups. Obsidian filled a role similar to that of metals in Europe. Obsidian allowed the Aztecs (Mexicas) to make great advances in their society and its value brought them wealth and power through conquering and trading with other groups.
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One of the most fascinating uses of obsidian in Aztec (Mexica) culture was the creation of large obsidian mirrors that were polished on both sides and used in shamanic rituals and prophecy. These mirrors were used as a medium of divination and were often called “smoke” or “spirit” mirrors. Diviners would gaze into the shifting and shadowy black obsidian and would see into the future as well as visit the past. Obsidian mirrors were a symbol of power and wisdom. In their language, Nahuatl, the word for mirror is synonymous with the word for ruler. Each Aztec (Mexica) ruler owned a mirror with which to observe their subjects and be able to see their misdoings. Each mirror had a hole on the top which was threaded and meant to be worn as a necklace.
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| Aztec (Mexica) obsidian mirror |
Obsidian mirrors were polished on two sides and had two faces and two functions: the first was to reveal the rulers’ will to the people and the second was to reveal the misdoings of the people to the ruler. Similar to the human eye, an obsidian mirror was a tool used to see. They were both receivers and communicators of divine force. Tezcatlipoc—a powerful deity in the Aztec (Mexica) pantheon also known as Lord Smoking Mirror—was often represented by an obsidian mirror. Tezcatlipoca's animal disguise was the jaguar which he could shape shift into. Some describe Tezcatlipoca as a mirror that reflects the essence of every being, a confrontation with the true self.
I loved learning more about the rich cultural history of Obsidian in Mexico—I’ve always noticed its prominence in contemporary Mexican jewelry and been drawn to its darkness and sheen. And the mythology of the obsidian mirrors is very beautiful and intriguing. Understanding the fascinating cultural history creates more meaning for this beautiful stone in the present-day.
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| Tezcatlipoca’s left foot is an obsidian mirror and another obsidian mirror is found on his chest. |
Today, obsidian is used primarily for jewelry and has a hardness of 5-6 on the Moh's scale. It is a durable stone for jewelry that can last generations. For our business, we source all of our obsidian from Mexico where the third largest obsidian deposits in the world are found, west of Guadalajara. Obsidian pieces scatter the mountainside and miners rarely have to dig deeper than a meter to find extensive deposits of black obsidian. There are many other color variations of obsidian in Mexico such as rainbow, sheen, snowflake, mahogany, peanut, and velvet. These types of obsidian are more rare than the more plentiful black obsidian, but each has its beauty in a finished piece of jewelry.
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| Black obsidian mine near Guadalajara |
Feel free to comment below with other facts about obsidian, what your favorite sheen is, or why you like working with it generally. I’d love to hear from you!
Here are some links for further reading:
https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/artefacts/smoking-mirrors