Chile under the Inka Empire – 2009
Cinceles, leznas y hacha enmangada: Instrumentos metalúrgicos. Aleación de cobre, madera, fibra de camélido. Inka. Región de Atacama. MRA.
Tensores de arco o manoplas. Aleación de cobre. Inka (Noroeste de Argentina), Región de Atacama. MRA
Tupus: Alfileres-prendedores. Aleación de cobre. Inka, Norte de Chile. MCHAP y MASMA
Bolsa con ajíes. Cuero de lobo marino y hueso. Período Tardío. Campamento minero Las Turquesas, El Salvador. MALS.
Hoja de hacha en forma de “T”. Bronce. Diaguita-Inka. El Bosque Hurtado, valle del Elqui. MALS
Hoja de hacha. Aleación de cobre. Inka. Región de Atacama. MRA
Martillo minero. Piedra, caña, cuero. Período Tardío Atacameño, Región de Antofagasta.MCHAP.
Tumi: Cuchillo con cabeza de camélido. Bronce. Inka, Región de Arica y Parinacota. MASMA
A la derecha, abajo: Capacho para el transporte de mineral. Madera, fibra vegetal y de camélido. Arica-Inka. Región de Arica y Parinacota. MCHAP
Gold in Marga Marga
The Inkas invaded Chile for its mineral wealth, but the metal smelt centers were located mainly in Argentina
In the north of Chile, the Inkas used the ancient mining skills of local inhabitants to extract gold, silver, copper and turquoise from deposits located at Huantajaya, Collahuasi, El Abra, Chuquicamata, San Bartolo and other sites. They used simple but effective tools such as hammers, picks, chisels, baskets and leather bags. The miners followed rich mineral veins, hollowing out galleries in the rock to access the highest grade ore. After crushing this material, they again selected only the highest grade mineral for processing. While they were serving their labor term, the mining mitayos would live in camps supplied with agricultural products and livestock from nearby locations. The metals that they extracted were melted down into small ingots and transported on llama-back along the Qhapaqñan, the main Inka trail, to the metalworking centers located in what is now northwestern Argentina, where they were given their final shape. The Viña del Cerro site in the Copiapó valley hoards the main part of copper production in Chile. Ore, grinding stones, smelting kilns, slag, the remains of ingot molds, crucibles and other specialized equipment found there point to its use as a metallurgical operation.