I am not acquainted with stone moulds in the south-east Asian
Bronze/Iron Ages but they are common enough in the European Bronze Age
and, occasionally, in the Iron Age. The stones used varied from the
inapprpriate (soft limestone) through easily machinable to rather hard.
Some points to remember:
Stone moulds are durable and can be used for multiple castings. From the
LBA in south Wales we have eleven axes from one mould and I am sure
20-25 could have been cast.
Metal tools could also have been used to work the stone - they were
casting metal tools after all, and bronze cutting edges can easily
enough be given Vickers hardness in the range 200-250.
I have not seen a three piece stone mould but it is a good solution to
the particular casting probem. With the number of moulds reported some
serious mass production was underway.
Yours,
Peter
--
Dr Peter Northover,
Materials Science-Based Archaeology Group,
Department of Materials, University of Oxford
Tel +44 (0)1865 283721; Fax +44 (0)1865 841943 Mobile +44 (0)7785 501745
e-mail [log in to unmask]
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