Beschrijving

This book delves into the sophisticated metallurgical and mining practices of ancient Peru, tracing the extraction, refining, and artistic shaping of gold and other precious metals by pre-Columbian Andean civilizations. It situates these practices within the broader cultural, religious and economic contexts of societies such as the Moche, Chimú and Inca, showing how metallurgy was not merely technical but deeply symbolic.

The authors describe how gold served as a material expression of divine, royal and cosmological power: items such as masks, headdresses, and ritual vessels carried layers of meaning—honoring ancestors, invoking deities, and asserting political legitimacy. They illustrate how forms and motifs evolved in response to changing religious beliefs, trade networks, and contact with outer cultures.

Finally, the volume examines the broader significance of gold production in ancient Peru: how it linked remote mining regions with coastal urban centres, how craftsmanship combined technical skill with artistic vision, and how modern archaeological and scientific methods help us recover this heritage. The book argues that the legacy of ancient Peruvian goldwork continues to offer insight into human creativity, cultural values and landscape transformation.