Impact of the Inka conquest in the pre-hispanic metallurgy of the Argentinian Northwest.

CARLOS I. ANGIORAMA

Grado, Italia

Congreso; Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference Archaeometallurgy in Europe.; 2007

Associazione Italiana di Metallurgia

Impact of the Inka conquest in the pre-hispanic metallurgy of the Argentinian Northwest Carlos Angiorama Archeometallurgy research carried out in recent years, showed that the Argentinian northwest was a very important center for metallurgy production and innovation during pre-hispanic times. This evidence is seen in the high production level, in the intricacy of the various manufacturing techniques and in the many kinds of metallic objects made which seemed to have been designed and produced only in the Argentinian northwest with original technology keenness. The finding of some of these pieces in the center of Argentina, north of Chile, Bolivia and Peru as a result of trade, demonstrates their great value in those times. At the beginning of the XV century, nearly all the Argentinian northwest was annexed to the Tawantinsuyu. Some researchers have said that the Inka concern in the area, was due to the existence of metalliferous minerals (gold, silver, copper and tin) there, and to the skillfulness of the local metallurgists to exploit and process them. In this paper, we analyze the impact in the production and trade of bronze and gold objects in Los Amarillos – one of the most complex settlements in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a major metallurgy center in Argentina. Then, we compared the results of our research with the results from archaeometallurgist researchers in other Argentinian northwest locations. They proved that the consequences of the Inka conquest were not the same in all the metallurgy centers of that area and that different strategies were used by the Inka Empire as regards the reorganization of metallic object production in each case of study.   Archeometallurgy research carried out in recent years, showed that the Argentinian northwest was a very important center for metallurgy production and innovation during pre-hispanic times. This evidence is seen in the high production level, in the intricacy of the various manufacturing techniques and in the many kinds of metallic objects made which seemed to have been designed and produced only in the Argentinian northwest with original technology keenness. The finding of some of these pieces in the center of Argentina, north of Chile, Bolivia and Peru as a result of trade, demonstrates their great value in those times. At the beginning of the XV century, nearly all the Argentinian northwest was annexed to the Tawantinsuyu. Some researchers have said that the Inka concern in the area, was due to the existence of metalliferous minerals (gold, silver, copper and tin) there, and to the skillfulness of the local metallurgists to exploit and process them. In this paper, we analyze the impact in the production and trade of bronze and gold objects in Los Amarillos – one of the most complex settlements in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a major metallurgy center in Argentina. Then, we compared the results of our research with the results from archaeometallurgist researchers in other Argentinian northwest locations. They proved that the consequences of the Inka conquest were not the same in all the metallurgy centers of that area and that different strategies were used by the Inka Empire as regards the reorganization of metallic object production in each case of study.   Archeometallurgy research carried out in recent years, showed that the Argentinian northwest was a very important center for metallurgy production and innovation during pre-hispanic times. This evidence is seen in the high production level, in the intricacy of the various manufacturing techniques and in the many kinds of metallic objects made which seemed to have been designed and produced only in the Argentinian northwest with original technology keenness. The finding of some of these pieces in the center of Argentina, north of Chile, Bolivia and Peru as a result of trade, demonstrates their great value in those times. At the beginning of the XV century, nearly all the Argentinian northwest was annexed to the Tawantinsuyu. Some researchers have said that the Inka concern in the area, was due to the existence of metalliferous minerals (gold, silver, copper and tin) there, and to the skillfulness of the local metallurgists to exploit and process them. In this paper, we analyze the impact in the production and trade of bronze and gold objects in Los Amarillos – one of the most complex settlements in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a major metallurgy center in Argentina. Then, we compared the results of our research with the results from archaeometallurgist researchers in other Argentinian northwest locations. They proved that the consequences of the Inka conquest were not the same in all the metallurgy centers of that area and that different strategies were used by the Inka Empire as regards the reorganization of metallic object production in each case of study.