Jewel__A_Celebration_of_Earth_s_Treasures

Chinese bronze | This classically

ornamented cast bronze wine jar with

a lid originates from the Western Zhou

dynasty, which ended in 771 BCE.

Statue of Bast | The Egyptians revered cats

as gods and had a temple dedicated to them

at Bubastis on the Nile Delta. This 22nd-

dynasty bronze represents the goddess Bast.

Edo bronze | Originating from the Edo

(Bini) people of Nigeria around 1520–80,

this hollow-cast bronze head depicts a

conquered king.

Roman brooch | This 1st-century CE

Roman bronze brooch – one of a pair –

was found in the UK and features

elaborate swirling ornamentation.

Statue of Liberty

Icon in copper

Liberty Enlightening the World, known as

the Statue of Liberty, stands on Liberty

Island, New York, USA. It was designed by

French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi,

built by Gustave Eiffel, and dedicated in

1886. Its “skin” consists of around 90,800kg
      (200,000lb) of copper, 2.3mm (^3 ⁄ 32 in) thick –
      at the time, the largest single use of copper
      in the world. Originally, the statue was a dull
      copper colour, but later developed a green
      patina from oxidation. After investigation, it
      was decided that the patina should remain
      and actually helped to protect the exterior.

Statue of Liberty The iconic statue

consists of copper plates attached to

a rigid iron frame.

COPPER 049

Outsized horns

Interlocking plates

Loop for chain

Cast details

Anatolian bronze | This gilt-bronze figurine

from the first millennium BCE features a man

riding a lion. It is probably based on an image

from Anatolian mythology.

Etruscan bronze | Made around

599–500 BCE, this cast Etruscan bronze

amulet is in the form of two opposite-facing

oxen with a common body.

Bronze armour | This 3rd–2nd-century

BCE armour is made from overlapping bronze

plates, originally stitched or riveted to a

leather jerkin.

Stylized

features

Suspension ring

Shell

eyes

048-049_PRO_Copper-Bronze.indd 49 18/05/2016 11:40