METALS.
Go/cf.—The principal metals known to the Peruvians were gold, silver, and copper. Their greatest skill was displayed in the manipulation of gold. This was obtained principally by washing the sands of the moun tain-streams. They not only knew how to hammer it into thin plates, and to weld these so that the line of union would be imperceptible, but they also understood how to smelt and cast it. Some of the vases still preserved offer fine examples of repousse-work, while others display the art of imposing one metal on another, known as Damascus-work (a'amas quinage). It has been stated that they had a process of gilding, but it is the opinion of Von Tschudi and other competent antiquaries that this was nothing more than skilfully overlaying objects with gold-leaf hammered to extreme thinness. From such leaves they cut toys and ornaments, such as butterflies, etc., and imitations of the leaves of plants. Numer ous small objects of gold, as beads, rings, and bracelets, are found in the tombs, and the nobles are said to have had their war-maces loaded with solid balls or stars of this metal.
Copper does not occur in the native state in Peru, and it is doubtful if the aborigines understood how to reduce it. That which was current in the country probably came from Northern Chili, where it is obtained in the native state.
Pron.:T.—The assertion is often made that the Peruvians manufactured bronze, but there is some doubt about this. No specimens of tin have been found in ancient graves, and the tools of a mixture of copper and tin, which certainly do appear in considerable numbers, are, in the opinion of Von Tschudi, the product of a native alloy. They also employed a mixture of copper with silex, which compound is said to be harder than the metal itself.
A low alloy of gold and copper, known as champ, served for the manu facture of an immense variety of objects, such as weapons, tools, rings, bracelets, pins, etc. Another alloy was of silver with lead, and some of the finest specimens of Peruvian castings are of this material. They are generally supposed to be of pure silver. Several examples of Peruvian works in metal are seen on Plate S (figs. 15, i6, 23).
Ornaments. —The metal-work of the Chibchas was principally in gold, with which the sands of the streams of their country abounded. It dis plays patience and a certain degree of skill in manipulating the metal, but no beauty of form. The products seen are usually small figurines, such as are represented on our Plate (figs. 24, 25) from the work of Senor Uricoechea.