File number:ela0118

© South American Pictures/ Tony Morrison

The La Tolita (Ecuador) culture lasted from ca 600BC to 400AD and produced some of the finest pre-Columbian gold artifacts. The goldsmiths worked in gold, silver, platinum, tumbaga (an alloy of copper and gold) and copper. This 'sungod mask' is its most famous piece, being now the emblem of the Banco Central, but it is often erroneously referred to as Inca.  Museo del Banco Central