A macuahuitl (/maːˈkʷawit͡ɬ/ (singular)) is an Aztec weapon shaped like a wooden sword. The name is derived from the Nahuatl language. Its sides are embedded with prismatic blades made from obsidian, a volcanic glass stone, which are sharper than any metal because it is a volcanic ceramic. It was similar to a large wooden club with grooves in the side to hold the sharpened obsidian. One example of this weapon survived the Conquest of Mexico and it was part of the Royal Armoury of Madrid until it was destroyed by a fire in 1884. Its original design survives in diverse catalogues, among them the...