[Jewelry making - Article 00431] - Re: [Orchid] Beaded wire

[Tim Blades]

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    I too have taken an interest in Anglo-Saxon beaded wire, Last year I
    had the opportunity to have  close look at several pieces of gold
    jewellery from Cirencester Museum in Gloucestershire England. The
    wires measured under a microscope were 0.2 ,0.3, and 0.4 mm in
    maximum diameter, mostly short lenghts but all consistent for
    placement .The beading went all round the wire but was more of a
    modified 'V' indentation than two arcs. 

    I was interested because I have plans to do some reproductions. I
    also assume that the grooves were rolled in with one or two groovd
    plates much as an apothecary would roll a paste to make pills. 

    If it sounds incredible that 6th and 7th Century European jewellers
    would have the technology to make grooved tools on this scale there
    is a paper in Anglo-Saxon Studies in Archaeology and History on a
    surmised method for making checkerboard stamps to impress thin gold
    foil to go in behind the garnet inlay . 

    This was well within their capabilities and could easily be modified
    to use on short lengths of wire. When I get time I will make up the
    tool and have a go. 

    I will look up the Naimh Whitfield papers ,I would like to know how
    they made wire that thin. 

    The book by the way s still in print and available from Oxbow Books
    who I believe have an American distributor.(No connection to me ,just
    a customer). 

 Tim Blades


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