Jewellery

Who wore rings?

Both men and women as they have been found at major graves

What were rings and beads made from?

Rings were usually gold, while beads were gold or carved from gemstones, amber, ivory or a form of glass

What metalworking techniques were used?

Soldering, repousse, filigree, inlay, cloisonné, granulation

What was soldering?

Melting a softer metal to join together two pieces of harder metal to act like a glue

What was repousse?

Using a hammer and nail to decorate metals where the design was raised from the back

What was the purpose of repousse?

To give the object more definition through the 3D effect and give it a sense of depth

What artefacts show repousse?

The death mask of Agamemnon

What is filigree?

Creating a border around something by soldering metal wire around it

What artefact shows filigree?

Gold Pyxis

What is the gold Pyxis?

A small hexagonal storage box often used to hold cosmetics or jewellery with a lid. It was found in a shaft grave from grave circle A at Mycenae dating to the 16th century. The inside was a hexagonal wooden box which hasn’t decomposed (so remains one of the only examples of wood this old) covered in 12 gold plates with filigree borders using twisted metal wire. The design includes lions chasing deer, antelope among palm trees, heads of Bovine cattle and spiral patterns

What is inlay?

One metal is heated and laid over another metal object

What artefact shows inlay?

The lion hunt dagger (niello is used as the inlay)

What is cloisonné?

Soldering wire onto metal in a pattern then adding glass or gemstones in this pattern

What is granulation?

Dropping molten metal onto an object to give it a spotted effect

Example of an artefact with granulation?

The gold lion rhyton

What is the gold lion rhyton?

A cup in the shape of a lion’s head. Sheets of gold were hammered into shape, then granulation was added for the lion’s eyes and nostrils, used for pouring wine at ceremonies

What is the Tiryns signet ring?

Shows a goddess on a folded chair, holding a cup with a small hawk or eagle next to her. Four lion-headed spirits approach carrying jugs (possibly a drink for her) and wheat, the sun and the moon are all visible nearby. This could show a crop ritual with an incredible level of detail