6. CHAPTER SIX: A VISUAL STUDY OF DECORATIVE METALWORK AS A WAY OF UNDERSTANDING MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES
6.4: VISUAL STUDY METHODOLOGY
6.4.1: ORNAMENTS MADE OF IRON AND WITH IRON
Iron played a diminishing role in recent centuries in the manufacture of ornamentation, which contrasted with the greater exposure and use of copper and brass taking place between the 17th and 20th centuries. This feature is noted in the study in the reduced amount of iron in comparison with copper and brass used for ornament in this study. In the Iziko collection of ornaments there were two classes of objects made entirely of iron comprising bangles made from an oxidized hammer beaten rod (SAMAE 3352) dated to 1892 from the Transkei, a thin wire bangle made by the Shona, Zimbabwe; dated 1871- 86 (SAMAE 6712) the other being four ear-rings made of commercially available drawn wire made by the Mpukushu cultural group in Northern Botswana in the (SAMAE 5671).
These items were collected in 1936 by F. Froehlich from the Okavango River region.
Two composite examples of ornament made with a combination of materials, iron, copper, brass and aluminium are a brooch from Lesotho
(SAMAE 567) dated to 1904 made by the ‘Basotho’, and a composite bracelet (SAMAE 457) with the core made of spiralled copper wire with a covering of spiralled and stretched wire-wound copper secured with iron brackets. (Table 6.1)
A detailed evaluation of the iron bangle (SAMAE 3352), made by a Xhosa metal-smith, ca. 1892, indicates that it was made from a hammered iron rod. It is 6.5 cm in overall diameter the rod is 5.8 mm diameter and 5.2 mm thickness and weighs 9.5 g (Figure 6.2). The photograph shows that it is not the conventional oval shape as the ends do not meet. Figure 6.2 shows the hammer marks are visible surrounding the object, including an area of elongation of metal towards the narrowing extremities of the bangle. In this area the rod has been reduced to 4.4 mm. The object shows a certain amount of filing, which has been almost obliterated by attrition. The metal would have been heated to red or white hot in order to achieve maximum malleability. In its manufacture, the bangle would have been subjected to hot and cold forging processes. This required adequate heat, bellows, an anvil, and hammers of stones and metal in order to achieve this shape.
Figure 6.2 The photograph shows an uneven iron bangle made by a Xhosa metal-smith.
A narrow circular iron bangle (SAMAE 6712) with chisel decorated marks from Zimbabwe is dated to 1871-86. Figure 6.3 shows a fine iron rod which has been employed by a Shona metal smith to create a circular bangle 7.2 cm by 7.3 cm in diameter. The rod is 3.0 mm in diameter and 3.0 mm thick. The metal is discoloured and in some parts corroded. The inner surface is smooth and has been rendered D-shaped from a square cross-section by the outer edges being slightly flattened with a narrow stamped herringbone design along the upper and lower edges giving the surface a ribbed appearance. A sharp blade has been used for this purpose.
Figure 6.3 A narrow decorated iron bangle from Zimbabwe including detail (SAMAE 6712).
A collection of four ear-rings Figure 6.4 made from iron wire by the Mpukushu of Botswana, living in the Okavango River region, was acquired by the Iziko Museum in 1936 from Rev. F. Froehlich. The four ear-rings average 1.8 cm long, while the ear-loop is circular to oval in shape and is ca. 1.0 cm diameter. The wire is bent in such a manner as to touch the lower loop. The wire is 0.9 mm in diameter. A minimal amount of discolouration is present on what appears to be commercial wire. Two of the ear-rings suggest that they might have been worn; this is established by the unevenness of the upper curve of the ear loops, while the others appear to be unworn. The ear-rings consist of a loop, for attachment to the ear lobe, while the shank is decorated with a tight binding of similar wire. The core of the shank and the binding wire end abruptly with irregular edges suggesting that a chisel was used as a cutting device. Two of the ear-rings display 6 coils on the shank while the remaining two display 7 coils. Ear-rings loosely similar to these have been described by Burchell (1953), Friede (1975), and Hall et al., (2006).
Figure 6.4 Four iron wire ear-rings (SAMAE 5671) made by the Mpukushu, Northern Botswana.
A composite brooch (SAMAE 562) illustrated in Figure 6.5 made from iron, copper, brass and aluminium was acquired from the “Basotho” dated to 1904 by Rev F. Christol. The diameter of the brooch is 5.7 cm, while its full depth is 1.7 cm. The basic foundation consists of two circular domed structures that are 1.5 cm deep, the upper structure being 1.5 cm wide. On the reverse is an iron pin, now partially discoloured, its width being 2mm, and length is 5.2 cm and attached to the frame work. On the opposite side a hook of the same wire is placed to accommodate the pin, which also holds the structure together. The twenty-three loops of the top structure show that the inner loops are pinched compactly together, while the opposite ends are left in a splayed state. The lower structure is a replica of the upper one; except that it is enlarged with the inclusion of a few more loops. Twenty six loops are needed to achieve this wider structure made in the same manner as the one above it. Fine commercially acquired strands of wire of copper, brass, and aluminium are woven in and out of the struts to achieve bands of solid and alternating colour, while the lower structure enjoys similar patterning with brass and aluminium. Each of the outer loops of the two structures has been bound with copper wire wound around the framework. This is an unusual item as generally clasps for
holding garments together do not appear to be part of the African farming communities’
material culture. In this case it appears that the metal smith was influenced by brooches he noted being worn among European visitors or immigrants or large safety pins imported from Europe (Tyrrel’ 1968:97). A postscript added by Ashton (1938:308) stated that “At one time a modern type of blacksmithing learnt from European blacksmiths, flourished in Basutoland. A number of Sotho after serving their apprenticeship with a European-smith or at one of the technical schools established their own blacksmith shops” where they facilitated local repairs for the community.
Midway through the 18th century colourful blankets from England were introduced to the South Sotho in Lesotho and became a valued item of clothing (Karstel, 1995). To ensure the blanket’s security around the shoulders a large safety pin or brooch (lemao or sepêlêlê) (Kriel, 1958) was employed. These have been illustrated in drawings and photography (Tyrrel, 1968:97, Morris & Levitas, 1984. Illustration 44).
Figure 6.5 A European inspired brooch (SAMAE 562) made from iron, copper, brass and aluminium wire of varying thickness from Lesotho.
In summary, the main techniques used to manufacture the objects made with iron in the Iziko Museum are hammering, wire drawing, polishing, incisions with the use of a chisel, and in the case of the brooch the use of pliers. It appears that imported metal was manipulated using techniques similar to those employed on local metal.