id
	11811
Url
	https://chloe.cnr.it/s/BiDiAr/item/11811
Resource template
	Academic Article
Resource class
	bibo:AcademicArticle
Title
	Money or ingots? Metrological research on pre-contact Ecuadorian “axe-monies”
Creator
	Montalvo-Puente, Carlos E.
	Lago, Giancarlo
	Cardarelli, Lorenzo
	Pérez-Molina, Juan C.
Date
	2023
Language
	eng
Abstract
	The so-called “axe-monies”, trapezoidal sheet metal objects made of arsenical copper alloy, are associated with graves and hoards of the Manteño-Huancavilca (AD 600–1532) and Milagro-Quevedo (AD 400–1532) cultures, both located on the southern coast of Ecuador. Historically, scholars identified these artifacts as money, relating them to a currency system. This paper aims to test this hypothesis by investigating the degree of standardization (if any) through analyzing an important sample of these objects. Metrological analysis of their dimensions (length, width) and weight show that the currency hypothesis is flawed because neither clustering of dimensions nor a tendency towards a single (range of) weight value(s) is found. We suggest that the axe-monies may have been used as ingots, for arsenical copper alloys were a key commodity in the framework of exchange involving different cultures across America’s Pacific coast.
Is Part Of
	Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Cited by
	11060
Doi
	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.103976
Issn
	2352-409X
Pages
	103976
Short title
	Money or ingots?
Uri
	https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352409X23001517
Volume
	49
Homepage
	https://www.zotero.org/groups/5293298/bidiar/items/5BXYR885/item-list

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