Period: The Bronze Age (1700 - 500 BC)

Project title: Bronzestøbning

Researchers: The Bronze casting Group from the University of Copenhagen
E-mail: anettes82(at)hotmail.com

Year: 2008

Abstract:

The craftspeople of the past had generations of predecessors, whose knowledge and experience they could learn from. But many crafts, which were widely practised in the past, have almost been forgotten today. We have lost both the skills and the technical know-how concerning many ancient crafts, like, for instance, bronze casting.

Bronze can not be hammered into shape, like iron, but the metal can be shaped by poring red hot fluid bronze into hollow moulds and thus create efficient tools, beautiful jewellery and firs weapons. The craftsmen of the Bronze Age mastered this technique so well, that they were able to create works of art like “Solvognen” – The Sun Wagon, a famous figurine showing a horse pulling a wagon with the sun.

The Bronze casting Group from the University of Copenhagen are working to rebuild the knowledge and experience about Bronze Age casting, which has been lost through the ages. The group is testing theories about moulds, crucibles, melting temperatures and many other issues surrounding the art of copying prehistoric artefacts, using the techniques and materials available at the time.

This year the group is working with casting in soapstone moulds. They will try to produce a very common tool in the Bronze Age; a transverse adze called a Celt, which is to be tested on different materials. Will they cast a flawless tool?

Reference number HAF 19/08