GILDED COPPER IN METAL OBJECTS USED BETWEEN 400 BC AND AD 450/500 IN THE BAY OF HUANCHACO, NORTH COAST OF PERU

During the last ten years, the Huanchaco Archaeological Program has investigated many sites on the Huanchaco coast, La Libertad Region, North Coast of Peru, where a hundred metallic objects associated with various cultural periods have been recovered. For this paper, we have chosen five metal artifacts associated with secure contexts and with AMS dates, which were analyzed using optical and electronic microscopy as well as digital X-rays. The absolute temporal frames for these artifacts are between 400 and 200 cal. BC (late Early Horizon) and AD 200-500. Our results indicate that between 400 and 200 cal. BC, the gilded depletion copper technique was in use, which according to our knowledge is the earliest reported for the Andean region. This study shows how the use of this technique is continued by later societies until AD 450/500. After this period, goldsmiths of the Moche society (AD 450/500 - 800/850) began to introduce new goldsmithing techniques, observable in some objects used in Huanchaco. In sum, the samples are scarce, but due to their origins from controlled contexts, they are of utmost importance.