Early medieval silver cross from Gotland - production.

[Ibor]

Today such an early medieval cross, Gotland silver I did.
It is about 5 cm X 5 cm.
I used the simplest methods that blacksmiths could use in the early Middle Ages: a sandstone form ... simply a circle, a crucible made of clay mixed with crushed granite, burned in the sun then in fire (withstand about three castings).
I cast a silver disc, without high temperature tempering, then cut the shapes with the chisel and finally finished the file.
Then I dug the decoration.
I chopped it cold and then at a high temperature and hand-made with an iron spike I punched in it and in the cross a rivet hole (I did not drill with a drill).
I realized ... and ready.

[MastaStan]

Great work!

[Frosty]

Very nice reproduction, well done! A detail of the original I see is how the wearer spent the silver a punch at a time. The consistency of the pieces punched out makes me think it was a standard unit of measure for trade. The cross might have been the wearer's life savings and maybe buried with him.

Thanks for the photos.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Lou L]

27 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Very nice reproduction, well done! A detail of the original I see is how the wearer spent the silver a punch at a time. The consistency of the pieces punched out makes me think it was a standard unit of measure for trade. The cross might have been the wearer's life savings and maybe buried with him.

Thanks for the photos.

Frosty The Lucky.

Great analysis Frosty.

Ibor, your attention to history is inspiring.  This sort of thing is what makes metal working exciting to me.