Isn the mention of swords in the New World another anachronism?
Many say that it is. Certainly swords were known in the ancient Old World, but the Book of Mormon speaks of swords used for centuries in the New World, where it is “common knowledge” that swords as we know them were not in use prior to the time of Columbus. But the ancient peoples in Book of Mormon lands, especially in Central American lands, definitely did use weapons that qualify as swords and were even called “swords” by Europeans who later saw them in use. These New World swords were non-metallic, incorporating obsidian blades. Examples of such swords from the Aztecs are discussed in the online article, “A Technological Mystery Resolved” by Terry Stocker at http://www.cmog.org/page.cfm?page=278. A well known form of these pre-Columbian New World swords is the macuahuitl or the macana.
