Hitherto Unknown Technology of Bronze Age Inlay

Abstract

Daggers discovered at Tserovani cemetery of the Bronze Age - prominent specimens of decorative-applied art selected for the new exhibition of the Museum of Archaeology of the State Museum-Reserve of Greater Mtskheta – were submitted to the restoration-research laboratory of archaeological and ethnographic objects of S. Janashia Museum of Georgia of the Georgian National Museum because of repeated corrosion in some areas. Dagger N7232 is composed and its handle is abundantly incrusted with vitreous mass. Most of the incrustation is produced with the method of melting vitreous mass inside a metal cutting. A strange exception is white circular inlay against blue background situated in three triangular cuttings. One of incrustations is damaged. The remnants were found in the cut of damaged incrustation were the vitreous mass and small grey, tubular rods made of 94% tin and 4% copper alloy (pewter) fitted in a wooden remnant. Research allowed us to interpret presumable methods and prominence of producing incrustation: white glass embedded in circular silver partitions against the background of blue glass. The analyses showed that the dagger was made from the typical for the late bronze period alloy- tin bronze. The artefacts, with all signs of historical development (technology, decoration methods, and ornamental motives) belong to the Colchian culture and can date in frame of this culture. Based on the presently available data it can be stated that we are dealing with a completely new technology unknown up to present and that it can be regarded as predecessor of the cloisonne incrustation.