2000/09/01 by Stuart Needham · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Social Sciences · Engineering · #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Archaeology and Rock Art Studies #Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology #Bronze #Craft #Ornaments #Bronze Age #Embossing #History #Archaeology #Ancient history #Engineering #Style (visual arts) #Mechanical engineering
paper · doi:10.1017/s0003581500050186
openalex publication_date 2000/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
The discovery of a pair of armlets from Lockington and the re-dating of the Mold cape, add substance to a tradition of embossed goldworking in Early Bronze Age Britain. It is seen to be distinct in morphology, distribution and decoration from the other previously defined traditions of goldworking of the Copper and Early Bronze Ages, which are reviewed here. However, a case is made for its emergence from early objects employing ‘reversible relief to execute decoration and others with small-scale corrugated morphology. Emergence in the closing stages of the third millennium BC is related also to a parallel development in the embossing of occasional bronze ornaments. Subsequent developments in embossed goldwork and the spread of the technique to parts of the Continent are summarized. The conclusions address the problem of interpreting continuity of craft skills against a very sparse record of relevant finds through time and space.