The Quality of the Craft

Abstract

In this study the sustainability of crucibles used during the Scandinavian Bronze Age is tested. Due to the crucible’s high or low sustainability the idea of it being a disposable object may be ratified or discarded. Earlier experiments focusing on the casting process in Scandinavian Bronze Age have concluded that crucibles such as the ones used during Bronze Age were disposable objects due to low sustainability. However, to make a more thorough study one has to replicate not only shape but also temper and clay, something that was not done in these earlier studies. In this study replicas were made and tested to investigate sustainability but also traces of use. The results are that the crucibles have a sustainability of more than 20 castings, in contrary to earlier studies suggesting one to ten castings. Another conclusion is that the traces of use correspond to the ones that are visible in the original Broåsen material.

Keywords

• bronze
• casting
• experiment
• smelting
• bronze age
• sweden