Page 66 - Handbook of Gold Exploration and Evaluation

Nature and history of gold 47

deviation of the magnetic needle from true north as he sailed across the Atlantic.
Explorers identified further geographical discoveries during voyages made from
the north to the south of the Americas but it was Inca and Aztec gold that
initially attracted the first adventurers and sparked the Spanish-American
invasion of the early 16th century.
Symbolically, in Inca and Aztec civilisations, the Sun God was believed to be
the source of all light and life and was invariably depicted in gold. The first ruler
of the Incas, about AD 1200, was thought to be the incarnation of the Sun. The
Temple of the Sun in Cusco, Peru, was said to be literally covered by plates of
gold; at harvest time it was adorned with artificial cornfields made entirely of
gold. Important early civilisations of Peru including the main mining regions are
shown in Fig. 1.16.
Most of the gold was alluvial and recovery methods were similar to those
used in the Old World. Similar cultures evolved also. The Paracus people, who
dwelt in Peru between 2700 and 2200 BC were primarily hunters and farmers.
However, they developed other skills over time and amongst metallurgical

1.16 Important early civilisations of Peru. Shaded area is the main mining
region. Most of the gold has come from the vicinity of Corro de Pasco (after
Nolan, 1980).