These pictures are of one of my favorite relics.
Tumbaga was a gold & copper alloy that Prehistoric groups used in Colombia that was traded through much of the Caribbean. It can range from basically 97% gold and 3% copper to 3% gold and 97% copper. The combination of the two metals lowers the melting point of either one of them to the point that Colombia groups used it to cast items from wax.
When the Spanish arrived, basically everyone in Colombia would have been adorned with something made gold (nose rings are the most common), and the Conquistadors went crazy. Pretty soon they figured out that most of the mounds contained burials with gold, and the entire country was excavated very quickly (late 1500's and early 1600's.) Almost all of the gold was melted down before it was sent back to Spain on ships like the Atocha that was recovered in the Keys by Mel Fisher.
The Tairona culture of Colombia made a lot of gold and frequently buried unfinished casts at sites. This piece was probably recovered in the late 1500's, tossed in a crucible for melting, and when the Spanish figured out it was on the 97% copper side, it was discarded before it was fully melted down. (Or the crucible cracked and the item was discarded when it was found out to be copper.) A bottle digger friend of mine found it while digging for bottles.
This one still shows several different nose piece sections that would have been pieced together, as well as some little face figurines.
Tumbaga was a gold & copper alloy that Prehistoric groups used in Colombia that was traded through much of the Caribbean. It can range from basically 97% gold and 3% copper to 3% gold and 97% copper. The combination of the two metals lowers the melting point of either one of them to the point that Colombia groups used it to cast items from wax.
When the Spanish arrived, basically everyone in Colombia would have been adorned with something made gold (nose rings are the most common), and the Conquistadors went crazy. Pretty soon they figured out that most of the mounds contained burials with gold, and the entire country was excavated very quickly (late 1500's and early 1600's.) Almost all of the gold was melted down before it was sent back to Spain on ships like the Atocha that was recovered in the Keys by Mel Fisher.
The Tairona culture of Colombia made a lot of gold and frequently buried unfinished casts at sites. This piece was probably recovered in the late 1500's, tossed in a crucible for melting, and when the Spanish figured out it was on the 97% copper side, it was discarded before it was fully melted down. (Or the crucible cracked and the item was discarded when it was found out to be copper.) A bottle digger friend of mine found it while digging for bottles.
This one still shows several different nose piece sections that would have been pieced together, as well as some little face figurines.
Comment