Experimental approach to copper production in the Southern Andes: towards a better understanding of technical processes

Abstract

Extractive metallurgy operations using various types of copper ore have been carried out at the experimental archaeology platform at Melle (France) for several years. The heating structure used for these experiments is as simple as possible, considering the variety of remains from Southern Andean pre-Columbian archaeological sites where copper was produced, for which experimental archaeology work is still relatively rare. A study on recycling was also conducted, offering a new perspective on pre-industrial metal production. The goal of producing copper without reconstructing a furnace based on an Andean model has provided a better understanding of the process as a whole, through the efficient production of copper from various types of ores. This succession of long-term experiments have finally shed light on the copper production practices in the pre-Columbian southern Andes through the observation of the results obtained and archaeometric analysis undertaken.

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