Sol de Echenique
The Sol de Echenique or Placa de Echenique refers to a pre-Hispanic piece of gold that was given to Peruvian president José Rufino Echenique during his visit to Cusco in 1853. It was declared as Cultural Heritage of the Nation by Vice Ministerial Resolution N° 000149-2021-VMPCIC/MC.Description
The Echenique Plaque is a piece of metalwork composed of 90% gold, 5% silver, and 5% copper, with a diameter of 13.5 cm. It features many figures within the central circle, as well as others that are symmetrically and systematically repeated in twenty peripheral segments. These include human faces, crescent or waning moons, rhombuses, squares, ovoids, and other symbols. The meaning of these signs is unknown, leading to speculation that they may have represented solar or lunar calendars.