42 



THE METALLURGY 



The evidences of imperfect metallurgical knowledge and 

 appliances are also very interesting. M. Morlot has called 

 attention to a striking instance of this presented by one of 

 the large Schwerin brooches (fig. 62). This was evidently 



FIR. 62. 



Mended Brooch. Mecklenburgh. 



a chef d'ceuvre, but the intermediate bow connecting the two 

 great discs had been accidentally broken. In order to mend 

 it again, the two pieces were put into their proper relative 

 position, and the broken bow was covered with a layer of 

 FIG. 63. wax. The whole was then surrounded with the 

 usual preparation of clay, etc., the wax was melted 

 out and replaced with bronze. 



Again, besides the orifice through which the 

 bronze was poured into the mould, it was neces- 

 sary to leave one or more holes through which the 

 air might escape. The first, being funnel-shaped, 

 was easily removed, but the latter were frequently 

 beaten over, as is seen at the top of fig. 63, for 

 without steel it was almost impossible to cut them 

 off. Indeed, the smiths of the Bronze Age seem 

 to have been unable to pierce bronze, and the 

 holes for rivets, as in the swords, etc., are cast, 

 and not pierced. 



