STUDY OF THE PUREPECHA METALS BY PIXE AND METALLOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES

Proton-Induced-X-Ray-Emission (PIXE) is a suitable technique for the elemental analysis of ancient metallic artifacts, without any deterioration of the samples. Metallography was used to determine the manufacture technique of ancient metallic artifacts. These techniques were applied to study 12 copper artifacts collected, from burial offerings of a "Senor Tarasco", discovered by Eduardo Pareyon, in "El Portal de Matamoros", Uruapan, Michoacan, in 1957.