L28 



Poote and Buell — Peruvian Bronze Axes. 



Art. XII. — The Composition, Structure, and Hardness of 

 Some Peruvian Bronze Axes; by H. W. Foote and W. II. 



BUELL. 



During tlie summer of 1911, Prof. Hiram Bingham, while 

 with the Yale Peruvian expedition in eastern Peru, obtained 

 three bronze axes which appear to belong to the Inca period. 

 These axes were turned over to the authors and form the basis 

 of the present investigation. 



In the photograph of the axes, fig. 1, we have numbered 

 the specimens and given the dimensions. Nos. 1 and 3 were 



Fig. 1. 



found on the site of an old Inca settlement near the Pampaconas 

 Eiver in latitude 12° 30' S. and longitude 73°. This river 

 has not yet been mapped. It is a western branch of the 

 Urubamba River, flowing nearly parallel and emptying into 

 it at some point below Icharate. The settlement where these 

 axes were found had been entirely deserted and all the original 

 clearings were covered with forest. A few years ago, a small 

 tract was cleared and it was in this new clearing that the axes 

 were found. Axe No. 2 was found in the valley of the 

 Urubamba River near Rosalina. 



In our investigation, we have determined, first, the chemical 

 composition of the axes ; second, their micrographic structure, 

 and third, their hardness. By comparing the structure of one 

 of the axes with that of a new alloy of the same composition, 

 we have been able to draw conclusions as to the methods used 

 originally in making the axes. 



The following results were obtained on analysis : 



