The discovery also sheds light on how the Aztec society evolved — introducing more standardized religion and control before the empire fell in 1521 — by showing how obsidian use changed over time.

The discovery also sheds light on how the Aztec society evolved — introducing more standardized religion and control before the empire fell in 1521 — by showing how obsidian use changed over time.

An obsidian “spirit mirror” used by a confidant of Queen Elizabeth I actually came from the Aztec culture, according to new research. An analysis of the obsidian mirror, owned by John Dee in ...

But after the Aztec Empire defeated the Tepanecs from Azcapotzalco and began imperial expansion in 1430, obsidian types increased, showing how the Mexicas expanded their commercial networks ...

The artifacts examined in the study were uncovered during excavations that took place over decades from the main Aztec temple of Tenochtitlán, called the Templo Mayor, in what is now Mexico City.

The research team was surprised by the variety of obsidian types found in the ancient capital, which surpasses that found at other sites in Mesoamerica. The discovery also sheds light on how the Aztec ...