Early copper metallurgy in Northern Chile

Submitted: 27 June 2013
Accepted: 27 June 2013
Published: 31 December 2013
Abstract Views: 3086
PDF: 937
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The Central Andean region of South America has a long tradition of mining and metallurgy. Such activities were fundamental to the economic, socio-political and ideological dynamics of the pre-Columbian cultures that inhabited this area. In spite of their importance, few archaeological investigations of metallurgy have been carried out in the Central Andes in general, and in current Chilean territory in particular. The present project investigates archaeometallurgical sites in northern Chile using scientific analysis, as a first step towards a large-scale map of prehistoric copper production and exchange across South America. This research involves documentation and sampling of already excavated archaeological materials from a number of copper-producing sites located in the Atacama District. Preliminary results of XRF analysis of artefacts from the collection of the R. P. Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum, San Pedro de Atacama, have been obtained and enabled us to characterise the different elements present in the metal objects. These results might provide information on the nature of the raw materials used.

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Supporting Agencies

thanks are due to the Corporación Nacional del Cobre, Chile (Codelco), which has partially funded this project, as well as to the Institute for Archaeo-Metallurgical Studies (IAMS), and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

How to Cite

Maldonado, B., Rehren, T., Pernicka, E., Núñez, L., & Leibbrandt, A. (2013). Early copper metallurgy in Northern Chile. Open Journal of Archaeometry, 1(1), e26. https://doi.org/10.4081/arc.2013.e26