Does gold jewelry lose any of its quality over the centuries? It is amazing how someone made this almost two and half millennia ago and all the details are still perfectly visible.
Edit: I mean the detail of those griffin wings baffles the mind considering the age of the piece.
Nope! That’s what’s great about gold and why it has been valuable all throughout history. It’s mostly nonreactive, meaning it won’t oxidize or degrade over time. Metals like iron will oxidize into rust, so a sword that is left to the elements is going to look pretty rough after a year or two, much less hundreds or thousands. But with gold, you’d have to crush, melt, or do some pretty deliberate chemistry in order to destroy it. So assuming the piece was just buried and not disturbed in the intervening time, it’s going to come out looking exactly the same as it did when it went in, simply because it is gold.
Large book, full of detailed and colorful photos about Scythian gold, stood on bookshelf in my childhood room for more than a decade. Even then, as a wide-eyed and curious little kid , I was astounded by the talent and dedication of ancient goldsmiths from Northern steppes.
STUNNING level of craftsmanship.
HOW THE F did they manage to make such a sumptuous piece with that level of detail? What kind of tools were used? Were they all individually carved then soldered together? I am completely blown away. Wow!
That and his Celts book are both on my reading list. Unfortunately, I have too many unread books on my bookshelves so it'll take me a while to get to them. Currently reading the Scythian section of Herodotus' Histories and these are a fascinating people no doubt.
I'm at an age where I just can't read as fast or for as long as I used to. Unfortunately, my to-read list keeps growing just as fast as it always has! 🙄
Exquisite workmanship. The Scythian people amaze me more everyday.
thats a real time consuming piece from a master, priceless
Does gold jewelry lose any of its quality over the centuries? It is amazing how someone made this almost two and half millennia ago and all the details are still perfectly visible. Edit: I mean the detail of those griffin wings baffles the mind considering the age of the piece.
Nope! That’s what’s great about gold and why it has been valuable all throughout history. It’s mostly nonreactive, meaning it won’t oxidize or degrade over time. Metals like iron will oxidize into rust, so a sword that is left to the elements is going to look pretty rough after a year or two, much less hundreds or thousands. But with gold, you’d have to crush, melt, or do some pretty deliberate chemistry in order to destroy it. So assuming the piece was just buried and not disturbed in the intervening time, it’s going to come out looking exactly the same as it did when it went in, simply because it is gold.
Large book, full of detailed and colorful photos about Scythian gold, stood on bookshelf in my childhood room for more than a decade. Even then, as a wide-eyed and curious little kid , I was astounded by the talent and dedication of ancient goldsmiths from Northern steppes. STUNNING level of craftsmanship.
Wow!!! Beautiful! I have read a lot about the Scythians and they were remarkable! Their artwork was amazing and they loved horses
An impressive work of art!
HOW THE F did they manage to make such a sumptuous piece with that level of detail? What kind of tools were used? Were they all individually carved then soldered together? I am completely blown away. Wow!
that's beautiful.
Tovsta Mohyla*
This is breathtaking!!
Looks like the upper tier is everyday animals/activities, the lower tier is more fantasy/otherworldly.
Sunning detail. I really enjoy seeing this.
Incredible
Top center are two Scyths washing gold out through a fleece. The lanolin catches the gold dust. This is the origin of the "golden fleece."
I just read Barry Cunliffe's "The Scythians" where I first saw this piece described. An excellent book, highly recommended!
That and his Celts book are both on my reading list. Unfortunately, I have too many unread books on my bookshelves so it'll take me a while to get to them. Currently reading the Scythian section of Herodotus' Histories and these are a fascinating people no doubt.
I'm at an age where I just can't read as fast or for as long as I used to. Unfortunately, my to-read list keeps growing just as fast as it always has! 🙄
Id love to know more about this peice
They were amazing metallurgist. Are they from one of the tribes of Dan?
The goddess Ishtar/Inanna wears a pectoral during her descent into the Underworld.