MesoAmerican Gunpowder

If the Mesoamerican civilizations stumbled across gunpowder, what would they use it for? How would it get adapted into and change their societies?

Assume it doesn't lead to any particular advances in metallurgy.

Based on this post:

Simple discoveries that would radically change ancient times or middle ages?
Problem is, they don't have much metallurgy beyond working Copper, with only the beginnings of Bronze.

South America was a bit more developed than them, but still little done for tooling, but decorating.
 
If the Mesoamerican civilizations stumbled across gunpowder, what would they use it for? How would it get adapted into and change their societies?

Assume it doesn't lead to any particular advances in metallurgy.

Based on this post:

Simple discoveries that would radically change ancient times or middle ages?

Blasting and tunneling (which would eventually give them access to better metal ores)

Clay-pot claymores with razor-sharp obsidian flakes inside.

Fireworks, bigtime.
 
Right. What could an advanced Neolithic society do with gunpowder? That is the question.
Well obviously the first use of the gunpower will be in Religious Ceremony, imagine, you are a simple mesoamerican farmer and you go to the city to see your god-king ( i know this is not exact roll with me) and insted of the normal ceremony he call the thunder, the ligthing, the smoke, the fire, and the reek of the hell for the unbeliver.
How are you the farmer supposed to oppose to what is clearly a god? your will be cowed into obedience.

Apart of that a clay pot with packed gunpower are excelent to zapping enemy cities walls, destroy their statues and gods.

Also you could use mix the gunpower with tar to make a real toxic smoke bomb that have the advantage that will not disipate quick
 
Right. What could an advanced Neolithic society do with gunpowder? That is the question.
If they had space bamboo, they could pull a Captain Kirk.

More seriously,you can do some pyrotechnics with that isolation of nitrates. Slow match, quick match, and you can confine Black Powder without metal to get explosive effect. Mines, Quarries, blowing, stumps, and not least, fertilizer
 
Chinese rockets didn't require metal, did they? That should be possible.
No, just Bambu, I know there are some species of Bambu in South america, but I don´t know if they exist in Mesoamerica, plus the American bambu is solid, not like the asian Bambu that is hollow
 
No, just Bambu, I know there are some species of Bambu in South america, but I don´t know if they exist in Mesoamerica, plus the American bambu is solid, not like the asian Bambu that is hollow

Well, according to this, there's plenty of bamboo in Mexico and Central America. Not sure if it was there during the pre-Columbian era though.
 
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