Gold in jewelry art of masters of pre-Columbian America

Abstract

The features of gold mining, its primary processing and use in jewelry art on the territory of South and Central America in pre-Columbian times are considered. The development of Indian jewelry became possible after the discovery of rich gold-bearing veins in the Central and Western Cordilleras and placers in the valleys of the Andes. Development of deposits was carried out by means of shaft-wells not more than 1m in diameter. Gold refining was one of the most advanced metallurgical operations used by pre-Columbian jewelers. Tum-baga, an alloy of gold and copper in the ratio of 3:7, was most often used in articles. The technique of gilding gave the articles made of tumbaga or low-grade gold the appearance of objects made of pure gold. Forging, joining parts with the help of gold nails and casting hollow pieces, known as the lost wax technique, were very common in metalworking techniques, which made it possible to produce unique jewelry pieces.