The Metal Soul of Empire: Mining, Metal Production, and Religiosity in Qollasuyo (Bolivia) during the XV and XVI centuries.

CRUZ, PABLO

Technology and the Making of Andean Societies (volume 2): Cooperation and Power in the Organisation of Production.

UCL Press

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2019;

Inkan expansion into Qollasuyu and the Southern Andean Highlands was a movement of capital importance in the consolidation of Tawantinsuyo. This southward extension permitted Inkan annexation of important political and religious places, and provided them with access to the gold, silver, and copper deposits in the region, including some the most important deposit of ores in the world, like the fabulous silver veins of Potosi. Accessing these deposits entailed the disclosure of sophisticated metallurgical knowledge and technologies that had been developed by the local populations in this region. The strong symbolic connotations of metal for the Inka, for whom they were a vehicle to express political and religious power, are manifested in the sacredness of the mineral mountains in the area. These peaks formed part of the religious cartography associated with the pre-Hispanic lightning divinity.In this article, we outline aspects of metal production in the Southern Andes during the Inka Period through to the first moments of the Colonial Period (XV to the XVI centuries). Our analysis is based on data obtained from different mining and metallurgical sites located in the Bolivian highlands, and the articulation of these with information from historical sources. We focus on the technological aspects of Andean metallurgy and on the strong connections between the production of metals, political power, and the cults of worship associated with mineral mountains and the pre-Hispanic Lightning deity.NOTA: el ISBN que figura aquí no es el que efectivamente tendrá el libro. Al hallarse el volumen en prensa, no pude obtener su ISBN verdadero. Sigeva no deja subir material en prensa sin algún ISBN.