BY ANCIENT INHABITANTS OF CHIRIQUI. 25 



RESUME. 



lu a brief review I may recall the more salient poiuts regarding the 

 use of metals in ancient Chiriqui. Gold, silver, copper, and tin are 

 represented. 



Gold and copper were very j)lentifully distributed among the Isthmian 

 races, but we have little information upon the sources of supply. Free 

 gold is found in the stream beds of many localities and copper was 

 probably found in its native state in some convenient locality; yet it is 

 not impossible that these metals were transported from distant regions, 

 as there must have been considerable intercourse between the inhab- 

 itants of Chiriqui and those of Grenada on the south and of Central 

 America on the north. Silver and tin are found in alloys with gold and 

 copper, but not as independent metals. The silver-gold alloy is proba- 

 bly a natural compound. In no case have I found silver to exceed 6 

 per cent, of the composite metal. Tin was artificially alloyed with cop- 

 per, forming bronze. The latter metal resembles our ordinary bronze 

 in color and hardness, but I am unable to secure more than a qualitative 

 analysis on account of the scarcity of specimens available for the pur- 

 pose. We have no information in regard to the origin of the tin. It 

 is not found in a native state and since it seems hardly probable that 

 the Chiriqnians understood smelting ores we are left in doubt as to 

 whether it was obtained from more cultured nations to the north or 

 south or from Europeans. The gold-copper alloys appear to range from 

 pure gold to pure copper. 



The great majority of objects were formed by casting in molds. Ham- 

 mering was but little practiced, excepting, apparently, in the formation 

 of sheet gold, which was probably an indigenous product. Repouss6 

 work is not found, save as represented in the crimping and Indent- 

 ing of gold leaf. Engraving and carving were not practiced. It may be 

 considered certain that gilding, or at least plating, was understood. 



The objects are obtained from ancient graves, of which no record 

 or reliable tradition is preserved. They are all ornaments, no coin, 

 weapon, tool, or utensil having come to my notice. The absence ot 

 utensils and of hammered objects of any kind strikes me as being 

 rather extraordinary, since it is popularly supposed that hammering 

 should, in the normal succession of events, precede casting and that 

 utensils should be made before elaborate ornaments. 



The work exhibits close analogies with that of the mainland of South 

 America, but these analogies appear to be in material, treatment, and 

 scope of employment rather than in the subject matter ot the concep- 

 tions. The personages and zoomorphic characters represented are 

 characteristicallj Chiriquian, and were derived no doubt from the 

 mythology of the locality. These works affiliate with the various works 



