Now, I Know!

The Unveiled Mystery of The Making

Previously, I wondered how this amulet was made. After high frequent searches for the answer, I finally found the answer from an expert. 

The Piroska Gulachi Amulet was made by applying lost-wax casting well-known as cire perdue (from the Latin cera perduta) . This is a technique done by creating a model of wax. In this case, the model is EXACTLY like the amulet in the form of wax. That's why we can see the fingerprints on it. It IS the fingerprint of the creator. Two gates (channels) are added to vent the wax. Next, the channeled model is put into a kind of tube. Plaster is poured into the tube to cover the wax model. After that, the tube is vacuumed so that great pressure can be  applied to the model and thus the plaster can cover the whole detail of the model even the finest ones. The plaster is then left dried and hardened. The plaster container (called as sprue) is heated so that the wax is liquefied and flows out of the plaster through the channels. The liquid bronze is poured into the space in the plaster through the channel while centrifuging it so that the liquid bronze is pushed to cover the whole detail in the model space. Later, the plaster is dipped into cold water and destroyed. At last, the bronze is left there and the creator cuts and grinds the channel.

For further information about this lost-wax casting, you can google it. Or else, check it out from youtube with Joe Silvera.

The good news is, Piroska Gulachi Amulet is one of a kind item. No one can duplicate it. The cast was destroyed. Unlike the other kind of historical art work, Piroska Gulachi Amulet cannot be reproduced and thus it never has any replica. Considering some holes with sharp fringe that unable latex to re-mold, no one can remodel the wax to cast.

Despite of the exposure on 'how it was made'- mystery, the greater mystery still remains. I shall continue my investigation on this masterpiece about the basic and fundamental question: 'why.' 

Why did the creator make it? Why did the creator make it in such a way (untidy)? Why did the creator sculpt such kind of pictures (not a kind of mystical symbol)? And if I'm lucky enough, I will find some people who can help me to answer the question 'who','where,' and 'when.' This is the only reason why I publish this blog.