Today, images and narratives drawn from the Pre-Columbian world form part of our Peruvian identity. This presence is the result of a gradual acceptance of that part of our history, and changes in how we imagine the Peruvian nation
Since its inception, the Peruvian state has incorporated Pre-Columbian elements into its public imagery, including several series of coins, bills and medals. Given that the selection of images for such series has traditionally been limited to their denominations, it seems fitting to ask ourselves: what symbols, characters and places deserve to have been featured in these widely disseminated objects?
During the first years after independence, the radiant sun, designed in Buenos Aires by Peruvians and a clear allusion to the Inca sun god, was used as a symbol of the state. Although the national coat-of-arms, created in 1823, replaced the sun, it was associated with the monarchical project of San Martín, and the memory of the Inca past remained alive during the 19th century.
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