| Native name | Sol de Echenique, Placa de Echenique or Sol de Soles |
|---|---|
| Material | Gold (90%), silver (5%), and copper (5%) |
| Height | 13.5 cm (5.3 in) |
| Width | 0.5 cm (0.20 in) |
| Created | Early Horizon (800 BC – 1 AD)[2] |
| Location | Regional Historical Museum of Cusco Casa del Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Cusco |
| Civilization | Inca culture |
| Designation 1 | PCN |
|---|---|
| Designation1 offname | Placa Echenique |
| Movable tangible | 23 June 2021 (age 5)[1] |
| Designation1 criteria | Monument |
| Designation1 number | Pre-Hispanic |
| Designation1 free1name | Legal basis |
| Designation1 free1value | R.V. Nº 149-2021-VMPCIC/MC |
The Sol de Echenique or Placa de Echenique refers to a pre-Hispanic piece of gold that was given to Peruvian president José Rufino Echenique during his visit to Cusco in 1853. It was declared as Cultural Heritage of the Nation by Vice Ministerial Resolution N° 000149-2021-VMPCIC/MC.[3]
Description
The Echenique Plaque is a piece of metalwork composed of 90% gold, 5% silver, and 5% copper, with a diameter of 13.5 cm.[4] It features many figures within the central circle, as well as others that are symmetrically and systematically repeated in twenty peripheral segments. These include human faces, crescent or waning moons, rhombuses, squares, ovoids, and other symbols. The meaning of these signs is unknown, leading to speculation that they may have represented solar or lunar calendars.[5]
See also
- "A Golden Symbol of National Identity Returns to Peru". Smithsonian.
References
- ^ "Resolución Viceministerial Nº 149-2021-VMPCIC/MC" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Cultura del Perú. 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
- ^ Rowe, John Howland (1976). "El Arte Religioso del Cuzco en el Horizonte Temprano". Ñawpa Pacha. 14 (1): 1–20. doi:10.1179/naw.1976.14.1.001
- ^ "Sol de Echenique es declarado Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación" (in Spanish). El Peruano. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
- ^ "Bicentenario: La Placa Echenique retornó al Perú" (in es-PE). Peru21. 2021-06-19. Archived from the original on 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
- ^ Angles Vargas 1988, p. 159.
Sources
- Angles Vargas, Víctor (1988). Historia del Cusco Incaico Tomo I Libro Primero. Lima: Industrialgrafica S.A.