The Andean area of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador was the cradle of metallurgy for all South America and it arose without any influence from the Old World.

There were two metallurgical centers, one on the Peruvian - Bolivian altiplano and the other on the north coast in the Mochica - Lambayeque region. From these two places knowledge spread south to Chile and Argentina, and north, to Colombia and Panama arriving later at the west coast of Mexico.

Metallurgy in Peru is of great antiquity and its skilled workmen knew the most varied techniques and alloys.

All along the coast there were expert silversmiths and during the Inca apogee the rulers established mitimaes in Cuzco to produce sumptuary objects. Various documents name the groups coming from Chimu, Pachacamac, Ica and Chincha. It is probable that their works followed the Inca aesthetic taste. We know of the establishment in Zurite, near Cuzco of silversmiths, yanas of Huayna Capac, originating from Huancavilca (now Ecuador) who resided on lands of the sovereign and whose obligation was to make objects for the Inca.

The presence of numerous indigenous silversmiths in Cuzco was subsequently taken advantage of by the Spanish judges, magistrates and colonialists who had been given grants of land with indigenous laborers by royal decree, to make personal gold and silver table service, mocking the obligation of the royal fifth. For this reason, pieces of silver from the sixteenth century in Peru that have been stamped are scarce.