The winds of change : an archaeometallurgical study of silver production in the Porco-PotosiÌ Region, Southern Bolivia, AD 1500-2000
This thesis considers the technology employed to produce silver within the Porco-PotosĂ­ region, southern Bolivia, providing archaeo-metallurgical data on indigenous and European silver production methods in Porco during the period AD 1500 to 2000. The research has been conducted as part of Proyecto ArqueolĂłgico Porco-PotosĂ­ (PAPP) set up by Dr Mary Van Buren (Colorado State University). The region of Porco was home to an Inca mine already prior to the Spanish conquest in 1538. Five years later, Spanish rule was established at PotosĂ­. Indigenous technology, such as wind blown furnaces, huayrachinas, continued to be used in the region until the introduction of mercury amalgamation from 1570 onwards meant that the indigenous methods of silver production were superseded. Huayrachina technology employed at Porco dates back to at least the mid 16th century, with historical indications for earlier usage. PAPP has documented ongoing huayrachina smelting near Porco as late as 2003, showing the continuing existence of this technology. In this thesis, different silver production techniques from the archaeological and ethnographic records have been assessed using analytical techniques: Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence,
Cohen, Claire Rebekah
The winds of change : an archaeometallurgical study of silver production in the Porco-PotosiÌ Region, Southern Bolivia, AD 1500-2000. This thesis considers the technology employed to produce silver within the Porco-PotosĂ­ region, southern Bolivia, providing archaeo-metallurgical data on indigenous and European silver production methods in Porco during the period AD 1500 to 2000. The research has been conducted as part of Proyecto ArqueolĂłgico Porco-PotosĂ­ (PAPP) set up by Dr Mary Van Buren (Colorado State University). The region of Porco was home to an Inca mine already prior to the Spanish conquest in 1538. Five years later, Spanish rule was established at PotosĂ­. Indigenous technology, such as wind blown furnaces, huayrachinas, continued to be used in the region until the introduction of mercury amalgamation from 1570 onwards meant that the indigenous methods of silver production were superseded. Huayrachina technology employed at Porco dates back to at least the mid 16th century, with historical indications for earlier usage. PAPP has documented ongoing huayrachina smelting near Porco as late as 2003, showing the continuing existence of this technology. In this thesis, different silver production techniques from the archaeological and ethnographic records have been assessed using analytical techniques: Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence,
wind change archaeometallurgical study silver production region southern consider technology_employ produce silver within region southern provide archaeo metallurgical data indigenous european silver production method period conduct part set mary state university region home mine already prior spanish_conquest spanish rule establish indigenous technology wind blown furnace continue used region introduction amalgamation onwards meant indigenous method silver production supersede technology_employ date historical indication earlier usage document ongoing smelt near show continue_existence technology different silver production technique archaeological_ethnographic record assess use analytical_technique energy_dispersive x_ray_fluorescence