Maya Obsidian Blade Craft

Timeline

1. c. 300–900Petén and the Guatemalan highlands · GuatemalaDuring the Classic Maya period, prismatic obsidian blade production was highly standardized; Ixtepeque and Chayal sources supplied city-states through trade networks, with blades used in royal bloodletting rituals, tomb burials, and daily labor.
2. 1161–1170Maya city-states of the Yucatán and Petén · Maya regionPostclassic city-states such as Chichén Itzá and Mayapan continued to rely on obsidian blades for ritual bloodletting, textile cutting, and medical procedures; raw material trade and artisan communities maintained stable production and distribution.
3. c. 1521–1600Mesoamerica · MesoamericaUnder the impact of European metal tools and the colonial economy, the use of obsidian blades in daily life and ritual gradually declined, though some Maya communities in remote areas retained traditional flaking skills into modern times.