Saturday, March 13, 2010
The beginnings of Goldsmithing
GOLD Melting Point 1063°C Au
SILVER Melting Point 960.5°C Ag
COPPER Melting Point 1083°C Cu
One ounce of gold (31.1g) flattened will cover 100sq feet or drawn into wire almost a mile long. It can also be foiled to less than 5 millionths of an inch thick
(The Complete Metalsmith. The Revised Edition. Tim McCreight)
It is said that the history of gold is the history of the world
(Noble Metals Planet Earth Time Life. Jeffrey St John & Editors Time Life Books)
A nugget of gold the size of a lump of sugar can be hammered into 108sq feet of gold leaf
(Noble Metals Planet Earth Time Life. Jeffrey St John & Editors Time Life Books)
Gold silver and copper are known as metals that are cold worked. From being melted these metals are poured into an ingot to be cooled then shaped and formed. In this process the metals work harden. They could be left in this hardened state. If further shaping and forming is needed these metals are annealed “softened”. Heating to a temp ⅔ below its melting point quenched in water their malleability restored. Textile strength non-corrosion colour lustre malleability gives cause for these metals to be unique and sought after.
The earliest goldsmithing site recorded in Southern Africa is Mapangubwe (880 – 1500 AD) the other being Thulamela (1200 – 1750 AD). The particular interest I have for these two sites is that gold nails have been found along with flattened gold with holes. The holes matched the thickness of the nails. Mapangubwe is known for it’s gold rhinoceros. The rhino with its nail holes, probably made by the nails found near by, gave me reason to reason to believe that the gold was foiled over and nailed into sculptured wood. The wood decayed and the gold remained.
I was interested in doing a comparative study between these ancient goldsmithing techniques and the influence it has on my work.
The mystery of how the metal was worked still remained - I was using bottled oxygen and Low pressure gas (LPG).
Anglo Gold offered me the opportunity to research the goldsmithing techniques in Mali.
The melting of the metals is done by using fire and a bellows technique to introduce oxygen to intensify the heat. This technique demystified what was used in Mapungubwe. During this process they realised that in fueling the fire with all that was availbale, they unwittingly added what later was found to be maelleable and workhardened substance. This substance melted at a heat that required a comnination of fire and oxygen. This was gold.
SILVER Melting Point 960.5°C Ag
COPPER Melting Point 1083°C Cu
One ounce of gold (31.1g) flattened will cover 100sq feet or drawn into wire almost a mile long. It can also be foiled to less than 5 millionths of an inch thick
(The Complete Metalsmith. The Revised Edition. Tim McCreight)
It is said that the history of gold is the history of the world
(Noble Metals Planet Earth Time Life. Jeffrey St John & Editors Time Life Books)
A nugget of gold the size of a lump of sugar can be hammered into 108sq feet of gold leaf
(Noble Metals Planet Earth Time Life. Jeffrey St John & Editors Time Life Books)
Gold silver and copper are known as metals that are cold worked. From being melted these metals are poured into an ingot to be cooled then shaped and formed. In this process the metals work harden. They could be left in this hardened state. If further shaping and forming is needed these metals are annealed “softened”. Heating to a temp ⅔ below its melting point quenched in water their malleability restored. Textile strength non-corrosion colour lustre malleability gives cause for these metals to be unique and sought after.
The earliest goldsmithing site recorded in Southern Africa is Mapangubwe (880 – 1500 AD) the other being Thulamela (1200 – 1750 AD). The particular interest I have for these two sites is that gold nails have been found along with flattened gold with holes. The holes matched the thickness of the nails. Mapangubwe is known for it’s gold rhinoceros. The rhino with its nail holes, probably made by the nails found near by, gave me reason to reason to believe that the gold was foiled over and nailed into sculptured wood. The wood decayed and the gold remained.
I was interested in doing a comparative study between these ancient goldsmithing techniques and the influence it has on my work.
The mystery of how the metal was worked still remained - I was using bottled oxygen and Low pressure gas (LPG).
Anglo Gold offered me the opportunity to research the goldsmithing techniques in Mali.
The melting of the metals is done by using fire and a bellows technique to introduce oxygen to intensify the heat. This technique demystified what was used in Mapungubwe. During this process they realised that in fueling the fire with all that was availbale, they unwittingly added what later was found to be maelleable and workhardened substance. This substance melted at a heat that required a comnination of fire and oxygen. This was gold.
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