Indigenous metal melting and casting in Southern Africa

dc.contributor.authorMiller, Duncan
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-26T10:47:01Z
dc.date.available2016-07-26T10:47:01Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.date.updated2016-07-26T10:44:58Z
dc.description.abstractMetal casting involves melting a metal charge in a crucible, and pouring it into a mould with a predetermined shape. This is not generally thought of as an important aspect of metal working in pre-European southern Africa, but it played a role in the second millennium AD for producing ingots, blanks for rings and bangles, and rare objects of probable ritual significance. Casting was restricted to the non-ferrous metals, like copper and tin and their alloys, because indigenous bloomery iron technology could not produce large quantities of molten iron for casting. Asfar as we know, gold was not cast into moulds, although beads were fashioned by punching holes through spherical globules produced by melting. This paper presents metallographic and chemical analyses of the various products of metal casting, and summarizes what is known about indigenous casting technology in southern Africa.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationMiller, D. (2010). Indigenous metal melting and casting in Southern Africa. <i>South African Archaeological Bulletin</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20759en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMiller, Duncan "Indigenous metal melting and casting in Southern Africa." <i>South African Archaeological Bulletin</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20759en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMiller, D. (2010). Indigenous metal melting and casting in southern Africa. The South African Archaeological Bulletin, 45-57.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn00381969en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Miller, Duncan AB - Metal casting involves melting a metal charge in a crucible, and pouring it into a mould with a predetermined shape. This is not generally thought of as an important aspect of metal working in pre-European southern Africa, but it played a role in the second millennium AD for producing ingots, blanks for rings and bangles, and rare objects of probable ritual significance. Casting was restricted to the non-ferrous metals, like copper and tin and their alloys, because indigenous bloomery iron technology could not produce large quantities of molten iron for casting. Asfar as we know, gold was not cast into moulds, although beads were fashioned by punching holes through spherical globules produced by melting. This paper presents metallographic and chemical analyses of the various products of metal casting, and summarizes what is known about indigenous casting technology in southern Africa. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - South African Archaeological Bulletin LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 SM - 00381969 T1 - Indigenous metal melting and casting in Southern Africa TI - Indigenous metal melting and casting in Southern Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20759 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/20759
dc.identifier.urihttp://www.jstor.org/stable/40985510?seq=1#fndtn-page_scan_tab_contents
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMiller D. Indigenous metal melting and casting in Southern Africa. South African Archaeological Bulletin. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20759.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherSouth African Archaeological Societyen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceSouth African Archaeological Bulletinen_ZA
dc.source.urihttps://www.jstor.org/journal/soutafriarchbull
dc.subject.othercasting
dc.subject.othermelting
dc.subject.othercrucible
dc.subject.othermould
dc.subject.otheringot
dc.subject.othercopper
dc.subject.othertin
dc.subject.otherbrass
dc.subject.othergold
dc.titleIndigenous metal melting and casting in Southern Africaen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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