TECHNICAL CERAMICS AND METALLURGICAL SECRETS: THE PREHISPANIC WORKSHOP OF RINCÓN CHICO (NW ARGENTINA)

G. A. GLUZMAN; L. R. GONZÁLEZ; M. MARTINÓN-TORRES; C. ODRIOSOLA LLORET

Londres

Congreso; 10th European Meeting on Ancient Ceramics; 2009

In this poster we present some technical studies done on metallurgical ceramics recovered by archaeological excavations from the site of Rincón Chico 15, located in the south portion of Yocavil valley (province of Catamarca, Argentina) and assigned to the late prehispanic times (X to XVI Centuries). This site was defined as a metallurgical workshop, and one of the main artifacts found there are crucibles and moulds used to prepare and cast metals. In order to know more about the technology used by past societies from the Northwestern Argentina, we selected a group of archaeological crucibles and moulds to examine them with different laboratory analysis looking for understanding more about their design, the main characteristics of the ceramic matrix, and its temper, and the variability of a white solution that covers their surface. All these studies make us to think that the local societies in Northwestern Argentina had different technological solutions to solve problems concerning ceramic pastes in metallurgical work.