Editing Platinum (section)

===Early uses===
Archaeologists have discovered traces of platinum in the gold used in ancient Egyptian burials. For example, a small box from burial of [[Shepenupet II]] was found to be decorated with gold-platinum hieroglyphics.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Sur les métaux égyptiens: Présence du platine parmi les caractères d'inscriptions hiéroglyphiques, confié à mon examn|trans-title=On Egyptian metals: Presence of platinum among the characters of hieroglyphic inscriptions, entrusted to my examination|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k30888/f778.image|journal=Comptes rendus de l'Académie des Sciences|language=fr|last=Berthelot|first=M.|volume=132|year=1901|page=729}}</ref> However, the extent of early Egyptians' knowledge of the metal is unclear. It is quite possible they did not recognize there was platinum in their gold.<ref>{{cite book |title=Jewelrymaking Through History: An Encyclopedia |pages=155–6 |author=Rayner W. Hesse |date=2007 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-33507-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last=Ogden | first=Jack M. | title=The So-Called 'Platinum' Inclusions in Egyptian Goldwork | journal=The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology | publisher=SAGE Publications | volume=62 | issue=1 | year=1976 | issn=0307-5133 | doi=10.1177/030751337606200116 | pages=138–144| s2cid=192364303 }}</ref>

The metal was used by Native Americans near modern-day [[Esmeraldas, Ecuador]] to produce artifacts of a white gold-platinum alloy. Archeologists usually associate the tradition of platinum-working in South America with the [[Pre-Columbian Ecuador#La Tolita Culture|La Tolita Culture]] ({{circa|600}} BCE – 200 CE), but precise dates and location are difficult, as most platinum artifacts from the area were bought secondhand through the [[antiquities trade]] rather than obtained by direct archeological excavation.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Platinum Metals Review|author=David A. Scott and Warwick Bray|year=1980|url=https://www.technology.matthey.com/article/24/4/147-157/|title=Ancient Platinum Technology in South America: Its use by the Indians in Pre-Hispanic Times|volume=24 |issue=4 |pages=147–157 |doi=10.1595/003214080X244147157 |access-date=5 Nov 2018}}</ref> To work the metal, they would combine gold and platinum powders by [[sintering]]. The resulting gold–platinum alloy would then be soft enough to shape with tools.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Bergsøe | first=Paul | title=Metallurgy of Gold and Platinum among the Pre-Columbian Indians | journal=Nature | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=137 | issue=3453 | year=1936 | issn=0028-0836 | doi=10.1038/137029a0 | pages=29| bibcode=1936Natur.137...29B | s2cid=4100269 | doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1=Meeks | first1=N. | last2=La Niece | first2=S. | last3=Estevez | first3=P. | title=The technology of early platinum plating: a gold mask of the La Tolita culture, Ecuador | journal=Archaeometry | publisher=Wiley | volume=44 | issue=2 | year=2002 | issn=0003-813X | doi=10.1111/1475-4754.t01-1-00059 | pages=273–284}}</ref> The platinum used in such objects was not the pure element, but rather a naturally occurring mixture of the [[platinum group]] metals, with small amounts of palladium, rhodium, and iridium.<ref name="history">{{cite book|title=A History of Platinum and its Allied Metals|pages=7–8|author=Donald McDonald, Leslie B. Hunt|date=1982|publisher=Johnson Matthey Plc|isbn=978-0-905118-83-3}}</ref>