Original Antique Engraving of Inca Antiquities from Peru by Jorge Juan & Ulloa, 1748
An original antique copperplate engraving illustrating archaeological objects, ceremonial implements and funerary remains of the ancient peoples of Peru. The print was engraved for the celebrated scientific work Relación Histórica del Viaje a la América Meridional by the Spanish naval officers and scientists Jorge Juan y Santacilia and Antonio de Ulloa.
The plate, titled Explicación de las piezas, labradas por los Indios Gentiles que se encuentran en sus Guacas ó Sepulcros, illustrates a remarkable collection of pre-Columbian artefacts recovered from ancient burial sites (huacas). Depicted are ceremonial axes, weapons, ornaments, mirrors, vessels, jewellery, funerary objects, gold and silver implements, and an Inca figure, each identified by an explanatory key.
Juan and Ulloa travelled through Peru and Ecuador between 1735 and 1745 as members of the famous French–Spanish Geodesic Mission, undertaken to measure a degree of latitude at the Equator. Their monumental publication combined scientific observations with detailed accounts of the geography, archaeology, history and Indigenous cultures of the Viceroyalty of Peru. The work was first published in Madrid in 1748 and remains one of the most important eighteenth-century sources on colonial South America.
This engraving is an important early archaeological record of Inca material culture and one of the earliest published illustrations documenting artefacts recovered from Peruvian archaeological sites.
This is an original antique engraving printed in the eighteenth century. It is not a modern reproduction.
Maker: Jorge Juan y Santacilia and Antonio de Ulloa
Work: Relación Histórica del Viaje a la América Meridional
Plate: Lámina XV
Place of publication: Madrid
Date: 1748
Technique: Copperplate engraving
Origin: Spain
Condition: Good condition considering its age. Original central fold as issued. General age-related toning, occasional light foxing and minor handling wear. Please study the image carefully.
The framed and interior visuals are provided for imagination and presentation purposes only. The original antique print is sold unframed.
Keywords: Peru, Inca, Incan archaeology, huacas, guacas, pre-Columbian, Indigenous Peru, antiquities, archaeological objects, ceremonial axe, mirrors, ornaments, gold artefacts, silver artefacts, burial objects, Viceroyalty of Peru, Jorge Juan, Antonio de Ulloa, Geodesic Mission, Relación Histórica del Viaje a la América Meridional, Madrid, 1748, original antique print, copperplate engraving, Spanish exploration, colonial Peru, Latin America, archaeological engraving, museum quality.
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