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Abstract

This study characterizes the bronze jewellery recovered from the Lusatian culture urn-field in Mała Kępa (Chełmno land, Poland). Among

many common ornaments (e.g. necklaces, rings, pins) the ones giving evidence of a steppe-styled inspiration (nail earrings) were also

identified. With the dendritic microstructures revealed, the nail earrings prove the implementing of a lost-wax casting method, whereas

some of the castings were further subjected to metalworking. The elemental composition indicates the application of two main types of

bronze alloys: Cu-Sn and Cu-Sn-Pb. It has been established that the Lusatian metalworkers were familiar with re-melting the scrap bronze

and made themselves capable of roasting the sulphide-rich ores.

The collection from Mała Kępa has been described in terms of its structure and composition. The investigations were made by means of

the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (ED-XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with an energy dispersive

X - ray analysis system (EDS) and optical microscopy (OM). In order to fingerprint an alloy profile of the castings with a special emphasis

on the nail earrings, the data-set (ED-XRF, EDS) was statistically evaluated using multidimensional analyses (FA, DA).

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Authors and Affiliations

M. Perek-Nowak
A. Garbacz-Klempka
Ł. Kowalski
J. Gackowski
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Abstract

During excavation of the cremation cemetery of urnfield culture in Legnica at Spokojna Street (Lower Silesia, Poland), dated to 1100-700

BC, the largest - so far in Poland – a collection of casting moulds from the Bronze Age was discovered: three moulds for axes casting

made out of stone and five moulds for casting sickles, razors, spearhead and chisels, made out of clay. This archaeological find constituted

fittings of foundrymen’s graves. In order to perform the complete analysis of moulds in respect of their application in the Bronze Age

casting technology analytical methods, as well as, computer aided methods of technological processes were used. Macroscopic

investigations were performed and the X-ray fluorescence spectrometry method was used to analyse the chemical composition and metal

elements content in mould cavities. Moulds were subjected to three-dimensional scanning and due to the reverse engineering the geometry

of castings produced in these moulds were obtained.

The gathered data was used to perform design and research works by means of the MAGMA5

software. Various variants of the pouring

process and alloys solidification in these archaeological moulds were simulated. The obtained results were utilised in the interpretation of

the Bronze Age casting production in stone and clay moulds, with regard to their quality and possibility of casting defects occurrence

being the result of these moulds construction.

The reverse engineering, modelling and computer simulation allowed the analysis of moulds and castings. Investigations of casting moulds

together with their digitalisation and reconstruction of casting technology, confirm the high advancement degree of production processes

in the Bronze Age.

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Authors and Affiliations

A. Garbacz-Klempka
Z. Kwak
T. Stolarczyk
M. Szucki
P.L. Żak
D. Ścibior
K. Nowak

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