The ICP-MS analysis for sample CI, illustrated in Figure 2 and data shown in Table 2, revealed the presence of 18 detectable elements of which the most significant discoveries are the presence of small amounts of gold, iridium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, tellurium and silver. It is also significant that there is an absence of both antimony and arsenic showing that the copper was not obtained from copper arsenic ores. There is a higher percentage of silver present than gold which mar indicate that some of the silver content originates from the copper itself rather than from contamination with gold alloys since extracted silver was not used in the ancient Colombian region. This normally implies that a small amount of gold impurity would be accompanied by an even smaller amount of silver. It is interesting to note the presence of small amounts of the platinum group elements in this analysis which are probably derived from the gold traces that show up in this study. In an earlier study (Scott 1982) it was noticed that many Nariño gold and tumbaga objects show significant trace impurities of the platinum group elements.

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Figure 2 : Colombia sample C1. Fragment of a bell from the Nariño cultural area dated to between 800AD-1300AD.

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