ESTUDIOS TéCNICOS SOBRE UN IMPLEMENTO DE HIERRO DEL CONTACTO HISPANO INDíGENA EN EL NOROESTE DE ARGENTINA

In this presentation we inform the results of some technical studies made on one fragment of a small iron chain. These studies were compositional and metallographical analysis. The object of study was found during archaeological excavations in the native settlement of Ampajango II, located in Northwestern Argentina. The process of colonization by Spanish conquerors, initiated in the middle of the XVI Century in the area, involved a strong opposite on from native people. The southern sector of Yocavil Valley was just dominated in 1665, after bloody disputes between native and Spanish people. One of these encounters was, according to the chronicles, in Ampajango. It is probable that the evidence, coming from an archaeological context, that has a radiometric dating of 1430-1670 BC, is related with these confrontations. The laboratory studies made on the chain give us information (such as the absence of manganese in the composition and the way of production) that is not contradictory with the contextual data. Unfortunately, the few technical studies made on iron implements in the area for this period limit the comparison of these results.