En tiempos pre-colombinos y durante el imperio incaico la plata fue un material fundamental, pues constituyó la base de sofisticadas aleaciones realizadas en metalurgia. El oro y la plata, por su brillo y color, estaban relacionadas con las deidades sol y luna y eran empleadas para ofrendas religiosas. Con la llegada de los orfebres españoles se fusionaron y perfeccionaron nuevas técnicas para laminar, repujar, incidir y cincelar estos metales.

La unión de estos dos mundos dio como resultado una riqueza ornamental con un estilo de creciente influencia indígena y de gran calidad estética. Actualmente el culto a la plata sigue vigente en artesanos que mantienen en sus manos estas antiguas técnicas y que continúan enriqueciendo este antiguo arte.

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In pre Colombian times and during the Incas Empire, silver was considered a basic material, because it became the base of sophisticated metallurgy blends. Gold and silver were highly related with the Sun and The Moon due to their particular shine and colour and were used as religious offerings. When the Spanish silversmiths arrived they merged and refined their skills in order to laminate, emboss, chisel and engrave those metals.

The merge of these two worlds gave as a result an ornamental richness with an increasing touch of Indian influence as well as a remarkable aesthetics quality. Nowadays, our worship for silver crafts is still alive thanks to our craftsmen, who keep in their hands ancient techniques, and who will continue with the enrichment of this art for the years to come.

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