Old American identity hidden in tin cans (5)
I believe the answer is:
incan
'old american' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'in tin cans' is the wordplay.
'in' indicates a hidden word.
'INCAN' is hidden within 'tin cans'.
'identity hidden' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for incan that I've seen before include "Of an ancient Andean culture" , "Member of old Andean civilisation" , "doing time?" , "Pachacuti for example" , "Of an ancient civilisation" .)