Abstract
Metallurgy and metalworking emerged in the Andean region of South America, and appear to have subsequently transferred from south to north, as far as Mesoamerica, where they developed into local technological traditions. Copper and its alloys were the material of choice for most pre-Columbian metallurgical industries. These materials were fashioned mainly as ornaments used in religious ceremonies and for the enhancement of elite status. This entry presents the metallurgical operational chain, including ore sources, mining, mineral processing and extractive metallurgy, as well as the interactions among these aspects of production in different regions in South America, with an emphasis on the South Central Andes.
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