Ginés Vázquez del Mercado and the hill that was not silver (1552)

An era marked by silver fever

After the discovery of the Zacatecas mines in 1546 by Juan de Tolosa, the attention of the viceroyalty of New Spain turned northward in search of new veins. Gold, which in previous decades had been the symbol of American wealth, began to give way to silver as the engine of expansion and exploration.

Numerous expeditions set out for little-known territories, often guided by indigenous testimonies or simple rumors. The story of Ginés Vázquez del Mercado is part of this context.

The promised hill

Vázquez del Mercado heard from some Indians about the existence of a shining hill, presumably rich in silver, located north of Zacatecas, in what is now Durango. Moved by the promise of abundance, he organized an expedition to find it. The region was rugged, and advancing along those roads implied constant risks, both because of the environment and the encounters with indigenous peoples who defended their territories.

Finally, Vázquez del Mercado located the hill. However, upon inspection, the illusion crumbled: it was not silver that covered the surface, but iron. What had been announced as a possible center of mining wealth turned out to be a place with no immediate economic value for the viceroyalty’s interests.

A death on the road

Disappointment was not the end of their journey. Upon returning, Vázquez del Mercado and his group passed through the town of El Sain, where they encountered an indigenous group. They engaged in combat and Ginés himself was seriously wounded. Days later, he died from these wounds.

Its history was marked not by the discovery of a vein, but by the contrast between the hope of wealth and the harsh reality of the northern territory. The hill, which would bear his name, would not be remembered for its mining abundance, but as a symbol of the frustration that accompanied many of the Novo-Hispanic explorations.

Exploration, disillusionment and memory

The expedition of Ginés Vázquez del Mercado is part of a series of incursions that sought to extend the viceroyalty’s control to the north, driven both by economic interests and symbolic expectations. Its history, although brief, reflects the limits of the desire for expansion when confronted with a geological and human reality more complex than the myths promised.

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