The origins of scientific research at the British Museum and a current metallurgical study of pre-Columbian gold= Les origines de la recherche scientifique au British Museum; l'or pre-colombien: etude metallurgique en cours

Sheridan Bowman · Susan La Niece · Nigel Meeks

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Metallurgy and Cultural Artifacts Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Scientific research has played an important role in the study of the British Museum's collections for nearly eighty years. A key area of this research has been the history of technological changes in metal use from the earliest times: one current project is the metallurgical study of the Museum's collection of pre-Columbian gold. This project is directed at identifying the gold alloys and the manufacturing and gilding techniques used in the many and diverse cultural groups of South America. Of the manufacturing techniques, the sheet metal construction of Inca figurines and the casting technology of Musica necklace ornaments are highlighted. The exploitation of relatively low gold-content alloys by the pre-Columbian smiths is outlined, and three methods of gilding, depletion gilding, electrochemical replacement gilding and fusion gilding are discussed. -- ICCROM

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