A Mosaic of Opinions on the Rediscoveries of the New World

Abstract

Written by a physical anthropologist from the Universidad de Antioquia, this article presents a diffusionist hypothesis on the origin of pre-Columbian Antioquian goldsmithing, according to which various Old World peoples would have arrived by sea in the mining areas of present-day Antioquia since pre-Christian times to trade gold, leaving their mark on local iconography and metallurgical techniques. The author draws on chronicles of the Spanish conquest to document the gold wealth of the Catío provinces and the systematic plunder carried out by the conquistadors, presenting iconographic evidence in support of his hypothesis of pre-Columbian transoceanic contacts. The text documents historical gold-extraction figures in detail and concludes by celebrating the Catíos as remarkable goldsmiths of the Americas. Note: the central hypothesis regarding pre-Columbian transoceanic contacts reflects a minority diffusionist theory, not supported by current archaeological consensus.