Prehistoric Metallurgy of the Mantaro Valley, Peru

从大约公元1000年开始，位于秘鲁中部高地的亚纳马卡山谷见证了一种复杂文明的崛起，最终被征服并并入印加帝国。一组美国考古学家经过多年的发掘，对这一过程进行了详细的重建，并从跨越这段时间的一系列遗址中恢复了文化材料。其中包括由银和铅以及矿石、矿渣和制造废料制成的物品。这为深入了解史前安第斯冶金实践提供了前所未有的机会。Ann Lehuray博士和Ellen Howe女士将合作，对银和铅金属物体进行金相、化学和铅同位素研究，并对附近潜在的矿石来源进行铅同位素研究。这将使他们能够描述开采的矿石类型、使用的制造工艺和交换模式。随着时间的推移，可以遵循这些原则，并可以确定并入印加帝国的影响。许多考古学家对帝国用来并入被征服人口的机制进行了推测。一些人认为印加允许当地群体高度自治，而另一些人则认为经济和社会组织发生了基本的变化。然而，收集信息来测试这些替代方案是极其困难的。Lehuray和Howe的冶金研究将有助于填补这一空白，因为它将可能看到是否引入了新的制造技术和使用了新的矿石来源。因此，对冶金技术的审查将提供对社会背景的洞察。这项研究很重要，因为它将增加我们对帝国如何发展和维持其控制权的理解。它还将为冶金的历史和技术在相对简单的社会中的作用提供新的线索。

Beginning ca. 1,000 A.D., the Yanamarca Valley, located in the central Peruvian highlands, saw the rise of a complex civilization which was eventually conquered and incorporated into the Inca Empire. Years of excavation by a team of American archaeologists has resulted in a detailed reconstruction of this process and recovery of cultural materials from a series of sites which span this interval. Included among these are objects fashioned from silver and lead together with ores, slag, and manufacturing debris. These provide an unprecedented opportunity to gain insight into prehistoric Andean metallurgical practices. Working together, Dr. Ann LeHuray and Ms. Ellen Howe will conduct a metallographic, chemical, and lead-isotope study of the silver and lead metal objects and a lead-isotope study of nearby potential sources of ore. This will allow them to describe the types of ores exploited, the manufacturing processes used, and patterns of exchange. These can be followed over time and the effects of incorporation into the Inca empire can be determined. Many archaeologists have speculated on the mechanisms used by empires to incorporate subjugated populations. Some argue that the Inca allowed local groups a high degree of autonomy while others believe that basic changes in economic and social organization took place. However, it has been extremely difficult to collect information to test these alternatives. The metallurgical study by LeHuray and Howe will help to fill the gap because it will be possible to see whether new fabrication techniques are introduced and new sources of ore used. Thus, examination of metallurgical technology will provide insight into social context. This research is important because it will increase our understanding of how empires develop and maintain their control. It will also shed new light on the history of metallurgy and the role of technology in relatively simple societies.