toreutics

Ewer from the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós (Height 23 cm, weight 733 g.)^[1]

Ancient Mesopotamia

Euphrates · Tigris
Cities / Empires
Sumer: Uruk · Ur · Eridu
Kish · Lagash · Nippur
Akkadian Empire: Akkad
Babylon · Isin · Susa
Assyria: Assur · Nineveh
Dur-Sharrukin · Nimrud
Babylonia · Chaldea
Elam · Amorites
Hurrians · Mitanni
Kassites · Urartu
Chronology
Kings of Sumer
Kings of Assyria
Kings of Babylon
Language
Aramaic
Sumerian · Akkadian
Elamite · Hurrian
Mythology
Enûma Elish
Gilgamesh · Marduk

Toreutics is the art of working metal^[2]^[3], by hammering gold or silver (or other materials), engraving, embossing and chasing to form minute detailed reliefs or small engraved patterns^[4]. Toreutics can include metal-engraving - forward-pressure linear metal removal with a burin^[5].

Archeological background

Toreutics claims great antiquity^[6]. It was practised in the 'Bronze Age' and was well established centuries before the shaft graves^[7]. Toreutics florished to an unusual degree among the peoples of Asia Minor, Assyria, Babylon, and passed from thence to ancient Persia^[8]. One spectacular example of the direct influence of Persia in toreutics is believed to be the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós found in Transylvania in 1799, and considered to be work of Old Bulgarian^[9] gold smiths. It consists of 23 vessels and has been attributed to Attila's Huns^[10], the Avars^[11] and Pechenegs. The majority of scholars however, consider it Bulgarian (Proto-Bulgarians^[12], Bulgars), because of its runic inscriptions^[13].

Etymology

Toreutics comes from Greek -toreutikos^[14]: of metal work; from toreutos: worked in relief; from toreuein^[15]; to work in relief; from toreus: a boring tool; see terə- in Indo-European roots. The art of working metal or other materials by the use of embossing and chasing to form minute detailed reliefs. The origin of 'toreutics' goes back to 1830–40; < Gk toreutikós, equiv. to toreú(ein) to bore, chase, emboss (v. deriv. of toreús graving tool) -tikos.

Applications

Persian-Sassanid^[16] style (Fig.1), Christian toreutics^[17] (Fig.2, 3), Folk craftsmanship (Fig. 4), Bulgaria
Beaten copper^[18] (Tibet), Fig. 4, 5, 6
Tsuba gold toreutics (1860) Mito school.

Figure 1. Toreutics on golden jug, Mogilan Mound, Vratsa, 4th century BC.	Figure 2. Toreutics on Liturgical book casing with Cyrillic inscriptions, 17th century.	Figure 3. Toreutics on plate from Chiprovtsi (Bulgaria), 18th century.	Figure 4. Toreutics on belt buckle, Plovdiv, (Bulgaria), 19th century.
Figure 3. Toreutics on the roof of Potala Palace (dragon head corner).	Figure 4. Dhvaja on the roof of Sanga Monastery.	Figure 5. Praying weels in Tsozong Gongba Monastery.	Tsuba gold low-relief toreutics signed by Moritoshi (1834-1896), Dated, 1860. Mito school. Alfred Baur Cat. D1145.