The mabinogi

the ancient aztecs, forever a topic of discussion for so many across the world. known for their Fierceness and the Conspiracy theories that surround them. so why don’t we have a quick look into what they wore.

4 min read time

the aztec death whistle / ehecachichtli

even though it’s not a clothing item i feel like i must start with the aztec death whistle, proper name ehecachichtli (forgive me if i spelt that wrong). this death whistle produced a low sound much like the wind, and was found being clutched in the hands of a 20 year old sacrificial victim in a tomb dedicated to the wind god ehecatl. now although this bit is largely speculated and holds little evidence many people believe (one such person is my brother who suggested i write about it) these whistles were blown by thousands of aztec warriors before battle.

body armour

warriors were known to wear ichcahuipilli (body armour) that was usually made out of quilted cotton sewed in a diamond shape, that was then soaked in salt water, making the garment stiffer and better to withstand blows. it was lightweight and worn round the torso of the warrior. the cotton would absorb the hit of a blunt object and lessen the blow of a projectile, such as an arrow.

body paint

the use of body paint in battle is something so many communities and tribes all across the world participate in. us using Eye shadow and foundation is the modern day Equivalent of this. taken from a quote by manuel aguilar-mereno from his book, we know that specific colours of face paint meant different things. yellow and red meant that the warrior had taken a captive. and courageous warriors painted their bodies black and with black and white painted stripes on their face.

the round SHIELD (chimalli)

these Shields were a way for soldiers to further protect themselves. usually, they were made of leather and wicker wood, and created into a Geometric pattern or decorated with leather. they were also often painted with figures with important significance to the aztecs and usually had red and yellow feather coming out of the sides of it.

loincloths

Ancient aztecs of all status wore Loincloths. they were typically just strips of fabrics wound round the torso and the legs, leaving two flaps round the front and back. even though they were worn by all people of every standing, there were strict rules on the fabrics different classes could wear. the wealthy were allowed to wear cotton whilst the poor wore maguey fibre, which was a type of plant fibre. loincloths were usually worn from the age of four and often worn to war, though often soldiers would simply wear their body armour,

if i’ve gotten anything wrong or i’ve made a mistake please don’t hesitate to comment. also i do know i haven’t included elite warriors like the jaguar warrior and the eagle warrior, i just haven’t had enough time.

sources: history on the net, fashion encyclopedia, mexicolore, the mexican museum,

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