Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c22.s3: Gold and Silver Jewellery
Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c22.s3
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Gold and Silver Jewellery
v1.c22.s3.1
Out of 213 items of jewellery, the majority of 180 came from the first century AD strata of Sirkap. The rest came from Bhir Mound and Dharmarājika settlements. Barrying a few items like anklet, swastika on the amulet, nandipada on the hairpin etc., which clearly show indigenous style, the vast majority bore imprints of Graeco-Roman styles.
v1.c22.s3.2
Much of the jewellery from Taxila was made with the help of stone moulds or copper and bronze dies. The stone moulds were of two types, according as they were intended for the production of solid or hollow pieces of jewellery. In several cases, the moulds were used for the production of metal dies on which the more precious metals were beaten into shape preparatory to their being graved and finished off by hand.
v1.c22.s3.3
In several gold samples, the surfaces were decorated with fine granules, the technique of granulation being known and widely practised in the ancient Greece and Near East. The gold granules were made by precipitating the molten metal in small sizes, soldering with an alloy of gold and copper, and removing the copper by heating it in sal-ammoniac.
v1.c22.s3.4
Another method of decorating gold and silver ornaments, which India learnt from the Graeco-Roman world, was that known as filigree. This is effected by soldering fine wire to the surface of the metal, the wire being either plain, twisted, plaited into a chain or beaded.