Aztec Chimalli

By Crusader1307

The traditional War Shield of The Aztec Peoples, The Chimalli was originally composed of Maize Cane with interwoven cotton (or other linen fibers). The weaving pattern was a cross-diagonal type, which offered a very strong defensive shield for close quarters combat. Often, the front of The Chimalli featured hammered copper or gold figures affixed to it's front. In addition to honoring their particular “Gods”, these also offered a form of reinforcement against blows. A series of wooden struts were affixed on the rear (inside) of the shield. This offered not only a hand hold for the Warrior, but due to the multiple handles, this gave them superior movement control. Later models featured leather pads also attached (in place of the copper and gold work). This offered protection against arrow strikes. Shield radius differed great;y, with some types being only 3 feet in diameter, to a much larger 5 feet.