{"id":25825,"date":"2023-06-26T09:17:51","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T07:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.cycladic.gr\/essay\/%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%b3%ce%b1%ce%bb%ce%b5%ce%af%ce%b1-%cf%84%ce%bf%cf%85-%ce%ba%cf%85%ce%ba%ce%bb%ce%b1%ce%b4%ce%b9%ce%ba%ce%bf%cf%8d-%cf%80%ce%bf%ce%bb%ce%b9%cf%84%ce%b9%cf%83%ce%bc%ce%bf%cf%8d\/"},"modified":"2023-11-08T14:35:08","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T12:35:08","slug":"ergaleia-tou-kykladikou-politismou","status":"publish","type":"essay","link":"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/en\/essay\/ergaleia-tou-kykladikou-politismou\/","title":{"rendered":"Tools of the Cycladic Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Tools of the Cycladic Culture<\/h1>

CYCLADIC CULTURE<\/p> <\/header>

\n
\n \"\"\n <\/figure>\n \n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

TYPES OF TOOLS<\/h2> <\/header>\n\n \n
\n
\n
\n \n
\n Although no direct evidence is available for the tools that were used by Cycladic marble craftsman, modern research, in combination with experimental archaeology, has shown that most tools were probably made of stone, most specifically emery. \n <\/div>\n \n \n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n

A piece of this heavy and dense stone\u2013which is commonly found on Naxos\u2013can be easily turned into a mallet (for shaping the figure) simply by making its edge pointed or sharp.<\/p>\n

Emery was also probably used for drills (to carve and pierce specific anatomical details such as the eye, ear, navel, and loin cavities, or repair holes), for engraving tools (for incised details), or even for surface polishing, since emery powder was an effective abrasive for the initial working of the marble.<\/p>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

\n \n
\n
\n
\n

Obsidian\u2013widely available on Melos\u2013and flint may have also been employed in marble carving. When shaped into blades (or flakes, which were created by striking a flint or obsidian core with another stone at a specific angle to break off an incredibly sharp and thin blade), these materials could be used as engraving tools or for reducing the smoothness of a marble surface. Then, in the final stage, Theran pumice soaked in water was an excellent material for polishing the surface of the sculpture. Sand mixed with water also worked well for this step.<\/p>\n

Regarding metal tools, bronze chisels were often used in stone carving and carpentry, but they also might have been used for working with other materials. However, their poor durability (due to the high copper content), along with the high cost of metals during the period, probably made metal stone-working tools less practical and, therefore, less common.<\/p>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n \"\"\n <\/figure>\n
\n
Bronze tools (chisel, tweezers, spatula-awl, hammer-axe)\n2700 \u2013 2400\/2300 BC\n\u039d\u03930224, \u039d\u03930976, \u039d\u03930298, \u039d\u03930225<\/div>
\u00a9 Museum of Cycladic Art<\/div><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n
\n
\n
\n