tdbcelts.org

[url=http://irisharchaeology.ie/2014/03/five-ancient-musical-instruments-from-ireland/]This article[/url] (on irisharchaeology.ie) talks about some very cool bronze horns (the Drumbest and Derrynane) as well as something called a Crotal which is a bronze rattle of sorts supposedly unique to Ireland. I wonder how these things would have been cast? The article says the horns were cast in a clay mould? How would the Crotal have been made? I would love to have a Crotal or two but a horn would be over the top. Check out the recordings on that page as well!

Very nice. Looks like you guys have a pretty diverse skill set between you.

You are close.

Tóin literally does mean bottom, butt (pun intended) think "Póg mo thóin". Don't get confused by the h in thóin - it's just there for lenition to agree with the possessive "mo"

Thusly rendered (or at least intended): "half-ass"

Also, the Lough Gara buckle was enameled and similar to the "bruscar Sasanach" you like. Maybe you can give that one a go.

Remember - The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.



and thanks for fixing the pics / adding the links.

[attachment=0]celtic_pin.jpg[/attachment]
"bottom half" - "low class" version? I haven't been keeping up with Duo Lingo enough, especially my Irish so correct me if thats wrong. By the way, I reduced the size of the images in your post and linked to the full size images, check it out! I would *love* a Lagore buckle but my clay working skills are quite limited. I like the faux enameling idea myself, but of course *real* enameling would be preferred for that kind of piece. I had gotten a nice penannular cloak pin from Raymond's Quiet Press a few years ago, and thats another project that might be worth the effort. The item shown here is NOT period, its the piece from RQP (link above) that I have, but there are so many period examples we could use. The pin would be steel and added after the casting I think.

Why would one go through all the trouble of casting an awesome piece only to "leath tóin" the enamel?

Get your model piece done. That's the lion's share of the work.

In any case...

These are dated circa 7th cent... as documented in "[url=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0292790589/tdbcelts-20]The work of Angels: Masterpieces of Celtic Metalwork 6th-9th Cent. AD[/url]"

[attachment=0]20151024_150729.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=1]20151024_150641.jpg[/attachment]
[attachment=2]20151024_150623.jpg[/attachment]

Now get to carving / sculpting.

Hang tight peoples, I have an enameling kit on the way. I did the research and know how to do it. So create your models to cast and we can enamel them too.

I imagine you could use Roman buckles. Would be correct time period and would have been available in the "region". Considering how the Romans tended to move troops from one end of the empire and post them on the other, even some Scytho-Sarmatian designed could be used. As far as an "enameled effect" goes, I would think you could either actually do the enamel work or use somthing like this [ http://janetalexanderdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/many-uses-of-resin-in-jewelry-part-2.html ].

[size=150]Belt Buckles aren't our period but I want one![/size]
[attachment=0]buckle.png[/attachment]

Ever since I saw Kellagh's belt buckle at Pennsic that he made I've wanted one of my own. This paper describes some early medieval era belt buckles enamled in the Celtic style which are similar to Anglo Saxon type buckles. There is a line in the paper referencing some earier works that postulate that the belt buckle was not part of the Irish form of dress and was introduced later on (perhaps through contact with Anglo Saxons and Vikings). I think it would be easiest to make the last type pictured (dimensions are given in the text too) but these were usually enameled - any ideas on how to create an enameled effect with a bronze casting? Perhaps pour on some kind of liquified plastic afterward or something? The patterns could just be etched in the clay model and it would look great cast anyway. The one pictured has a couple of tangs on the underside that presumably were used to attach it to leather? I assume this could be done in the casting process? I'm not sure I understand how exactly you would use them to attach to something though. Bend them over? The pin would have to be added afterward I think, but it shouldn't be hard to just bend a piece of copper in place.

https://www.le.ac.uk/lahs/downloads/YoungsvolumeLXVII-3sm.pdf