The stone used to make jewelry moulds like this one is often called steatite by archaeologists, but it actually is chlorite. It is an ideal stone for moulds, since it does not crack or break on direct contact with heat and can be finely sculpted into shapes for beads, rosettes, and other delicate gold items. The mould shown here consists of two matching parts, the two halves were placed one on top of the other and held in place with staples that fit into holes at the corners. The molten metal was subsequently poured through the little channels that run from the sides to the jewelry forms.
Provenance: Ras Shamra - Ugarit.
Era: Late Bronze Age (circa 1300 BC).
Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 2 cm.
Photo: Jacques Lessard.
A collection of the National Museum of Damascus.
Michel Fortin, Syria, Land of Civilization. Les Éditions de l'Homme, Musée de la Civilisation de Québec 1999.
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