Obsidian from Pachuca is notable because of its unique green-gold color and its internal purity which makes it one of the highest quality obsidian sources in Mesoamerica. Obsidian deposits in the Valley of Mexico, which fell under Teotihuacan control during the Early Classic Period, were Pachuca, Otumba, and Chicoloapan.
Large bifacial blades were for ritual use in human sacrifices where priests removed the heart from the slain victims. About 25% of the obsidian industry was devoted to blade production including prismatic, core-struck blades. Teotihuacan workshops produced weapons, tools, figurines, jewelry and art objects of which were intended for commercial trade beyond the geographical boundaries of the city. The obsidian craftspeople made up at least 12% of the total population, according to reliable assessments of archeologists and the multitude of archeological findings. The processing of obsidian was the most developed art and the main source of wealth in Teotihuacan. Perhaps, the most famous industry the city was known for was its extensive production of obsidian objects. The quality of artistry in the thousands of mural paintings from Teotihuacan artists rivaled anything that was to be prod uced by many master painters of Renaissance Europe much later in time. Teotihuacan was an enormous industrial city and trading center housing a variety of trades and craftspeople. Because the inhabitants seem to have been multi-ethnic (Nahua, Otomi, Totonac and Mayan) the culture is not attributed to a specific ethnicity or tribe but is called TEOTIHUACAN or TEOTIHUACANO. The founders of this great city are a mystery and much debate has circled around who exactly built the city. with an estimated population exceeding 200,000, it was one of the largest cities in the world. It had a broad influence on its neighboring cultures both, those in simultaneous existence, and others long after. In the first millennium A.D., the central American mega-city of Teotihuacan was THE largest city in the Pre-Columbian Americas. Common household razor blades are 100 times thicker than obsidian! Obsidian is 15 times sharper than surgical steel, It’s no wonder that obsidian became a valuable tool in medicine and warfare when you consider that at an obsidian scalpel can rival diamond in the fineness of its edge. Because of its sharpness, obsidian leaves less of a scar and does less tissue damage than a scalpel or knife made of any other substance known to Man. As a matter of fact, aside from using lasers in modern surgery, the preferred scalpel is one from obsidian. Obsidian was prized by the ancient Pre-Columbian Indians and even today, it is still used in modern medicine for scalpel blades as obsidian can flake to an edge one molecule thick, thereby attaining a level of sharpness impossible to achieve with a steel scalpel. Caution must be applied in acquiring ancient obsidian artifacts because the stone does not patinate on the surface like other lithic types. Min eral and sediment can be seen deep in flake scars which are indicators ONLY found in AUTHENTIC specimens such as this. Since green obsidian was an exclusive luxury reserved only for aristocracy and ceremonial purposes at this time, the purpose and ancient importance of this breath-taking artifact is obvious. Even now, to see the effect of the stone in sunlight is something beyond words. While sheen obsidian occurs in black colors, rare green obsidian with this feature makes it especially scarce! No doubt this end scraper left its users with a sense of awe when originally used in ancient times.
The light effect in sheen obsidian is caused by internal linear bubbles that formed in the ancient volcanic glass before it hardened. With an incredible magical presence, this large ritual UNIFACIAL END SCRAPER of the Pre-Columbian Teotihuacan Empire is made from precious green sheen obsidian! It is no wonder that these ancient people believed this stone had its own spirit - when light hits the surface, the inside lights up and sparkles beyond description.
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