I’itoi’s Swords: Imagining and Creating a Weapon from a Tohono O’odham Story

Preservation Archaeology Blog
Allen Denoyer, Preservation Archaeologist and Ancient Technologies Expert
Allen Denoyer - blog

(February 5, 2024)—In May 2023, Tohono O’odham museum curator April Ignacio contacted me to see if I would be interested in creating some obsidian swords for an exhibition they were planning. “They Don’t Love You: Indigenous Perspectives on Sovereignty Cause and Effect: That’s What You Get,” would open at the Tohono O’odham Nation’s Himdag Ki Cultural Center and Museum in Topawa and later travel to the Arizona State Museum in Tucson.

April’s portion of the exhibition tells several stories of the O’odham. The one she wanted my help with is about Elder Brother I’itoi and how the people of Quito Vak gave him obsidian that he used to slay a monster attacking the village. April wanted two very large, dramatic, obsidian-bladed swords. We worked together to design them, basing them loosely on macuahuitl, wooden clubs with embedded obsidian blades. These close-combat weapons were used by different cultures in Mesoamerica. I’m calling them swords as a shorthand, but they are really a combination sword/club/saw-sword that was akin to a broadsword.

Artist’s visualization of I’itoi, Elder Brother. Ruben Moreno
Artist’s visualization of I’itoi, Elder Brother. Ruben Moreno
The monster. Ruben Moreno
The monster. Ruben Moreno
A modern replica of a macuahuitl modeled after examples known from Aztec and Maya contexts. These weapons had blades (flakes that are twice as long as they are wide), usually made of obsidian, inserted into the lateral edges of the wooden sword. We based the design on this, but made them extra-dramatic to draw the attention of O’odham kids who’d be visiting the exhibition.
A modern replica of a macuahuitl modeled after examples known from Aztec and Maya contexts. These weapons had blades (flakes that are twice as long as they are wide), usually made of obsidian, inserted into the lateral edges of the wooden sword. We based the design on this, but made them extra-dramatic to draw the attention of O’odham kids who’d be visiting the exhibition.
Here are mockups I submitted for consideration.
Here are mockups I submitted for consideration.
Full-scale sketch of the design idea April chose.
Full-scale sketch of the design idea April chose.
I made two samples to work out the manufacturing process. The one on the right was started by a friend and given to me to finish. It is the Mesoamerican style. I made the one on the left using the design that April had chosen.
I made two samples to work out the manufacturing process. The one on the right was started by a friend and given to me to finish. It is the Mesoamerican style. I made the one on the left using the design that April had chosen.
I cut the full-scale template and traced it onto two boards so the swords would be exactly the same size and shape.
I cut the full-scale template and traced it onto two boards so the swords would be exactly the same size and shape.
I cut the blanks with a jig saw. This is one of few work-projects where I got to have fun with modern power tools! No need to re-create past techniques.
I cut the blanks with a jig saw. This is one of few work-projects where I got to have fun with modern power tools! No need to re-create past techniques.
After I got the initial straight, small groove set in, I used my Dremel to deepen the groove. This will enable me to adhere the obsidian bladelets.
After I got the initial straight, small groove set in, I used my Dremel to deepen the groove. This will enable me to adhere the obsidian bladelets.
Next I used an angle grinder to sand the wood into a rounded shape. It worked wonderfully and quickly!
Next I used an angle grinder to sand the wood into a rounded shape. It worked wonderfully and quickly!
Here I am initially shaping the hilts, or handles, of the swords.
Here I am initially shaping the hilts, or handles, of the swords.
You’ll see in a bit that the handles needed more modification. We realized they looked too Colonial, and I ended up rasping off the flares/tangs on each side.
You’ll see in a bit that the handles needed more modification. We realized they looked too Colonial, and I ended up rasping off the flares/tangs on each side.
Here are the swords prior to burning in the designs and before I altered the handles/hilts.
Here are the swords prior to burning in the designs and before I altered the handles/hilts.
I carefully sketched out the design, which was given to me by April, before burning it onto the wood.
I carefully sketched out the design, which was given to me by April, before burning it onto the wood.
I used a fancy wood-burning tool to burn designs into each sword face.
I used a fancy wood-burning tool to burn designs into each sword face.
April and the team wanted the swords to look like they had gone through a rugged battle. I used a biface to scar the weapons and give a feel for battle damage. I did that before mounting the obsidian blades.
April and the team wanted the swords to look like they had gone through a rugged battle. I used a biface to scar the weapons and give a feel for battle damage. I did that before mounting the obsidian blades.
Detail of the battering!
Detail of the battering!
Here are the obsidian blades typical of macuahuitls. They were made through the flintknapping technique of indirect percussion, then snapped or flaked into rectangular segments.
Here are the obsidian blades typical of macuahuitls. They were made through the flintknapping technique of indirect percussion, then snapped or flaked into rectangular segments.
I made triangular obsidian bifaces for the blade segments of the museum swords.
I made triangular obsidian bifaces for the blade segments of the museum swords.
Pressure flaking the bifaces.
Pressure flaking the bifaces.
Here are the finished bladelets, with some variation in size.
Here are the finished bladelets, with some variation in size.
I like to use lac as an adhesive. Lac is a kind of resin that an insect deposits on the branches of creosote bushes. Use as an adhesive is known in the archaeological record, especially in preserved perishable objects. This is what it looks like before processing. I then crush and melt it into a paste, which I thinned with lacquer thinner.
I like to use lac as an adhesive. Lac is a kind of resin that an insect deposits on the branches of creosote bushes. Use as an adhesive is known in the archaeological record, especially in preserved perishable objects. This is what it looks like before processing. I then crush and melt it into a paste, which I thinned with lacquer thinner.
Smearing the lac into the grooves.
Smearing the lac into the grooves.
Attaching the bladelets.
Attaching the bladelets.
I wrapped the hilts with buckskin and dirtied them up. They looked like old tennis racquet handles!
I wrapped the hilts with buckskin and dirtied them up. They looked like old tennis racquet handles!
The final task was to rough them up and splatter them with monster blood. I used a mixture of lac and mineral pigments. I made the paints runny so they would splatter like blood.
The final task was to rough them up and splatter them with monster blood. I used a mixture of lac and mineral pigments. I made the paints runny so they would splatter like blood.
Here are the finished swords before they went to Himdag Ki.
Here are the finished swords before they went to Himdag Ki.
Me with the swords to show scale.
Me with the swords to show scale.

 

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