Toreutics
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Toreutics is the art of carving metal[2], hammering gold or silver (or other materials) achiving embossing and chasing to form minute detailed reliefs or small engraved patterns[3].
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[edit] Archeological background
Toreutics claims great antiquity[4]. It was practised in the 'Bronze Age' and was well established centuries before the shaft graves. Toreutics florished to an unusual degree among the peoples of Asia Minor, Assyria, Babilonia, and passed from thence to ancient Iran (Persia), where it had a great impact on Persian toreutics. One spectacular example of the direct influence of Persia in toreutics is believed to be the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós found in Transylvania in 1799, and considered to be work of Old Bulgarian[5] gold smiths. It consists of 23 vessels and has been attributed to Attila's Huns[6], the Avars[7] and Pechenegs. The majority of scholars however, consider it Bulgarian (Proto-Bulgarians[8], Bulgars), because of its runic inscriptions[9].
[edit] Etymology
Toreutics comes from Greek - toreutikos: of metal work; from toreutos: worked in relief; from toreuein; to work in relief; from toreus: a boring tool; see terə- in Indo-European roots. The art of working metal or other materials by the use of embossing and chasing to form minute detailed reliefs. The origin of 'toreutics' goes back to 1830–40; < Gk toreutikós, equiv. to toreú(ein) to bore, chase, emboss (v. deriv. of toreús graving tool) -tikos.
[edit] Technique variations
- Beaten copper (Tibet)
 Toreutics on the roof of Potala Palace (dragon head corner). |
 Dhvaja on the roof of Sanga Monastery. |
 Praying weels in Tsozong Gongba Monastery. |
[edit] References
- ^ Kells Portraits and Eastern Ornament by Harold Picton in The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, Vol. 73, No. 426 (Sep., 1938), pp. 121-123.
- ^ How to Understand Sculpture by Margaret Thomas, Kessinger Publishing, 2005, p.25
- ^ Hutchinson Encyclopaedia. Helicon Publishing LTD 2007.
- ^ How to Understand Sculpture by Margaret Thomas, Kessinger Publishing, 2005, p.25-6
- ^ A Short Histoty of Modern Bulgaria by R.J. Crampton, Cambridge University Press, 1987
- ^ The Empire of the Steppes, a History of Central Asia by Rene Grousset (transl. by Naomi Walford), Rutgers University Press, 2005, p.25
- ^ Worriors of the Steppe by Erik Hildinger, De Capo Press, 1997, pp. 57-92
- ^ Bulgaria - Land of Ancient Civilizations by Dimiter Dimitrov, Foreign Language Press, Sofia 1961, p.33
- ^ Bulgarian's Treasures from the Past by Ivan Venedikov, Sava Boyadjiev and Dimiter Kartalev, Foreign Languages Press, Sofia 1965, pp. 345-55.
