On our way to enjoy Costa Rica's rainforests and wildlife, we stopped in the capital city of San Jose and visited the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and marveled over the workmanship of gold artifacts from the country's gold period, which lasted from A.D. 300-1550.
I am impressed that the metalsmithing techniques I've learned and used are the same employed by the ancient indigenous peoples in Latin America, as early as B.C. 2155. Goldsmithing began on the continent in South America and eventually reached the area of Costa Rica around A.D. 300.
Unlike other metallurgy traditions where metals gain importance due to their widespread use in fields ranging from weaponry to everyday utensils, metals in South America and Central America were mainly valued as adornments and objects representative of a high status.
In ancient Costa Rica gold expressed one's sociopolitical status. Those in power wore textured or cast gold symbolic images of authority. For example, chiefs or warriors wore gold discs. Shamans used gold animal figures important in mythology to cure ailments. Gold clan identifiers, gold objects of the deceased and gold symbols of death were used as funeral offerings.
Gold back then was in such abundance that on Christopher Columbus's last voyage to the New World, he named a strip of land he touched "Costa Rica" because of the universal display of gold worn on the inhabitants' necks, arms and chests. Amazing!
I am impressed that the metalsmithing techniques I've learned and used are the same employed by the ancient indigenous peoples in Latin America, as early as B.C. 2155. Goldsmithing began on the continent in South America and eventually reached the area of Costa Rica around A.D. 300.
Unlike other metallurgy traditions where metals gain importance due to their widespread use in fields ranging from weaponry to everyday utensils, metals in South America and Central America were mainly valued as adornments and objects representative of a high status.
In ancient Costa Rica gold expressed one's sociopolitical status. Those in power wore textured or cast gold symbolic images of authority. For example, chiefs or warriors wore gold discs. Shamans used gold animal figures important in mythology to cure ailments. Gold clan identifiers, gold objects of the deceased and gold symbols of death were used as funeral offerings.
Gold back then was in such abundance that on Christopher Columbus's last voyage to the New World, he named a strip of land he touched "Costa Rica" because of the universal display of gold worn on the inhabitants' necks, arms and chests. Amazing!