>
> On the subject of mercury gilding (as opposed to mercury itself) Ordos
> plaques from NW China in about the 4th century BC still seem to be the
> earliest examples of mercury gilding. The earliest dated examples in
> the west are in the Senttisham Late Iron Age treasure from Norfolk UK.
> These probably date around 50BC.
>
Concerning mercury gilding in the west: we know a large number of silver
vessels with amalgam gilding from the 4th century BC onwards. Most of them
belong to the Greek, Thracian, Scythian or "mixed" style and they appear
very often in Hellenistic context from Egypt and Syria to Italy and Spain.
The earliest examples among them seem to be some rhyta from the Black Sea
area, dated on stylistic ground in the early 4th century BC. Excavated
silver vases with mercury gilding from the same area date from the second
quarter or middle of the 4th century BC.
[Early rhyta without context: In pursuit of the absolute: The George Ortiz
Collection, Bern 1996
Other silver vases with mercury gilding from excavations: Galanina et al.,
L'art scythe, Leningrad 1981
Marazov, I. (ed.), Ancient Gold: the Wealth of the Thracians, 1998]
A first mention on 4th century BC gilding for the Greek world appears
already in a footnote of the first chapter (technical aspects) in Strong,
D., Greek and Roman Gold and Silver Plate London 1966. There is since more
literature, mainly articles by Eluere, Oddy, Anheuser and others.
For full references of these articles and generally on the question, contact
me of-list.
PhD Athanasios Sideris
Archaeologist
Knowledge Base Coordinator
Foundation of the Hellenic World
38 Poulopoulou str., Athens 118 51, Greece
Phone: (301) 3422292, Fax: (301) 3422272
E-Mail: [log in to unmask] , WWW Address: http://www.fhw.gr/
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