Manufacturing processes of Atlantic Bronze Age annular gold ornamentsA case study of the Guines gold hard (Pas-de-Calais, France)

摘要

The gold work from the Western European Middle and Late Bronze Age (about 1500-700 BC) is characterized by solid ornaments and vessels. This article deals with manufacturing techniques of heavy gold jewelry by presenting a gold hoard found at Guines, Pas-de-Calais, in Northern France, as a case study. In particular, three ornament types will be taken into consideration: (1) solid penannular neck and arm-rings, plain or with linear or geometric decoration; (2) flange-twisted ornaments that appear in different dimensions, as small as ear rings, as neck rings, up to the large size of a be (3) complex, composite ornaments. The technological aspects dealt with in this precious metal working context are manifold, including ingot and lost wax casting, hammering and bending of solid rods, the production of flange-twisted rods, chasing as decoration method, and finally joining techniques such as soldering, riveting and folding, and creasing.