Cerro de Potosi. Copperplate engraving published 1600-1618 by Petrus Bertius in his "Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum" after contemporary images by Pedro de Lieca in his "Chronica del Peru". The Bolivian Potosi mountain was one of the world's largest silver depositis and provided the bulk of the silver in the Spanish Empire of the New World. The potosi mint was world renowned,and Silver Reales (pieces of eight) often came from there,. They were hence used worldwide. The town of Potosi was founded in 1545 and grew quickly - at one point with a population of 200,000 people. Many indigenous people were killed mining there - through disease,fatigue and danger. Some were forced labour,others were wage earning or contractual workers. African slaves were also brought to the site | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Stewart, Paul D. |
Bildgröße: | 5056 px × 3457 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |