Sweat of the Sun & Tears of the Moon: Gold & Silver in Pre-Columbian Art

The first comprehensive study of pre-Columbian gold and silver work, from the early hammered sheet-gold ornaments of the Chavin culture of Peru, ca. 800~500 B.C., to the intricate cast-gold jewelry of the Aztecs and Mixtecs. Includes important archaeological discoveries that have been made during the past three decades. This very readable account brings together, for the first time, all that we have come to know up to the present time. More than 200 photographs constitute a pictorial survey, providing a unique opportunity to see how various styles developed and how certain motifs persisted, or were transformed, from one culture to another. A chapter on technology presents what is known about the mining and metallurgy of the different pre-Columbian cultures. Also included are a consideration of the possibilities of Asiatic influences, and a fascinating discussion of forgeries.