Description

The Pre-Columbian Andes has a rich metallurgical tradition that was distinct from that of Europe. Instead of using metal primarily for tools and weapons, Andean metal workers focused on ornaments, vessels, and other items that were often ritually important and markers of high status. They paid particular attention to the colour and lustre of objects, often experimenting with different kinds of bronze alloys after 600 AD. Clothing pins, called tupus, were commonly made from bronze and often featured a hammered flat heat with a hole through the end.  This example is unusual in that it has central figure surrounded by a punctate design.