New Clues on the Origin of the “Inca Mirror” at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris

Abstract

Since at least 1742, the mineralogical collection of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) in Paris has hosted, under the reference number 22.U, a biconvex lens-shaped obsidian artifact, also described as a mirror, measuring 250 mm in diameter and finely polished on both faces. It has usually been ascribed to the shipment sent by Hernán Cortez in 1522 to the Emperor Charles V, which was captured by a French privateer. We investigated the object using modern techniques. The elemental composition of the obsidian determined by the particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method showed that the raw material originates from the Mullumica deposit (Ecuador). Documentary investigations revealed that the lens (renumbered No. 176.101) was sent in 1737 from Quito, Ecuador (at that time part of the viceroyalty of Peru), to France by members of the Godin–La Condamine geodesic expedition (1735–1743). The mirror is thus among the rare Ecuadorian archeological or colonial artifacts to have reached the Old World during the eighteenth century.

Historical pyrite “mirrors” from the Ecuadorian Cañari culture, digital microscopy observations, mineralogical and elemental analysis

“…1 It is about two cones, one numbered MIN000-3519 (hereafter referred to as mirror no.1) and the second 105.504 (hereafter referred to as mirror no.2). Previously, the thorough re-examination of a third "Inca mirror" (ref.176.101) cut in obsidian allowed us to discover that it was one of the objects sent to France (1737) by Louis Godin (1704Godin ( -1760 and Charles-Marie de La Condamine (1701-1774), two of the three French academicians of the famous royal geodesic expedition (1735-1743) over the equator (Bouguer 1744;Calligaro et al, 2019).…”

The mirror, the magus and more: reflections on John Dee's obsidian mirror

“…Although circular mirrors are a well-known type of Aztec object, no examples have previously been confirmed by analytical provenancing. One circular mirror previously included in this category (Smith 2014: tab 1.1: 9) has recently been shown to have come from the Mullumica obsidian deposit in Ecuador (Calligaro et al 2019), and is therefore excluded here. Seven rectangular obsidian slabs with polished surfaces have been provenanced using proton-induced X-ray emission, with the conclusion that six come from the Ucareo-Zinapecuaro source area (following the nomenclature of Healan (1997)) and one from Pachuca (Calligaro et al 2007), both in central Mexico.…”