PRE-COLUMBIAN GOLD ASSAY SPOONS FROM EL BRUJO, PERU

A horn spoon is a modern gold prospector’s field assay tool that is used to determine the amount of gold in an alluvial or crushed gold ore sample. The modern horn spoon is ~16 cm long, concave, flared at one end, and is made from a black ox-horn. The rough, black interior of the spoon holds and shows the gold “colors” or chispitas.

Four Pre-Columbian ceramic spoons recovered from the El Brujo archaeological site in northern Perú are similar in length, concave form, flared lip, and most importantly, have post-firing, black-painted interiors. The similarities in size, form, shape, and especially the black interior color are consistent with use as ancient gold assay spoons.