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Punches for toreutics and jewelry making. Metalworker’s tools from a territory of Bulgaria

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Punch with an image of female head

Bronze punch from Arbanasi, Asenovgrad region, end of the 4th-beginning of the 3rd century BCE.
I. 4.8 cm; d. body 2-2.7 cm; d. base 2.3×2.2 cm
Sofia, National Archaeological Institute with Museum, inv. No. 4014 [transferred to the museum in 1906]
“Punch of oval section in the upper part and round in the lower part. Made with lost wax in three steps. The relief lamella is applied. This punch was designed for the impression of female faces on toreutical and jewelery items, characteristic for Thrace of the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 3rd century BCE.” [M. Tonkova, L’épopée des rois thraces, cat. 168]

[M. Tonkova, L’épopée des rois thraces, cat. 168]
Bronze punch from Arbanasi, Asenovgrad region, depicting female head [M. Tonkova, The silver of the Thracians, p. 7]

Punch (stamp) with the image of a female head.
From Nebet tepe, Plovdiv region; 4th-3rd century BCE.

[Българска археология 2017; Небет тепе, Пло̀вдив, 2017 г.
София Христева, Божидар Драганов, Камен Станев, pp. 34-35]

Punch and imprint, first half of the 3rd century BCE; found: Panutsa, Dragoevo (Sumen county)

“Both objects were discovered in the Thracian fortress of Dragoevo, active from the 4th to the 2nd century BCE. The base of the four-sided impression was enlarged by hammering. A small amphora and a lotus flower are stylized in high relief.
The lamella decoration (cat. 167b) was executed with a punch similar to that of cat. 167a. It was probably intended to form a semi-cylindrical element with a ring for its attachment.
This type of ornament is characteristic of gold decorations for “jeweler” style horse harness from the first half of the 3rd century BCE, which we find in particular in the funerary goods of Kralevo, Kavarna and Mezek.” [M. Tonkova, L’épopée des rois thraces, cat. 167a, 167b]

Bronze punch
L. 4.4 cm; d. body 0.7×1.5-2.1 cm;
footprint surface 1.05×2.2 cm; d. base 1.8×2.3 cm
Shumen Regional Museum of History, inv. no. 3732
Bronze punch, side view
[M. Tonkova, L’épopée des rois thraces, cat. 167a]
Photo S. Stoicev
[M. Tonkova, Les parures]
An imprint, gold ornament from Dragoevo
L. 2.2 cm; w. 1.3 cm; ep. 0.05 cm; weight 1.42 g
Shumen Regional Museum of History, inv. no. 4349
[M. Tonkova, L’épopée des rois thraces, cat. 167b]
Ornaments from Kralevo
[M. Tonkova, Les parures]

Bronze punch. L 2.8 cm; W 2 cm; H 1.2 cm; weight 39.42 g Provenance unknown, probably 3rd – 1st century BCE.
The mold consists of two parts. The lower part is semi-oval. The upper (work) part has a stylized man’s head en face in relief. RHM Pernik, Inv. № РИМ – Пк-ОФ-AII-1660
[RESCUED TREASURES OF BULGARIA, p. 84]

Bronze punch. W 2.2 cm; H 2.8 cm; weight 128.30 g. Provenance unknown, probably 3rd–1st century BCE.
Mold cast from bronze. It consists of two parts. The lower part is a high semi-oval pedestal. The upper (work) part is semioval with a bull’s head en face in relief.
RHM Pernik, Inv. № РИМ – Пк-ОФ-AII-1659
[RESCUED TREASURES OF BULGARIA, p. 84]
  • Българска археология 2017 Vol 8 (2018)
    К. Бояджиев, Н. Иванова (ред.) 2018. Българска археология 2017. Каталог към изложба. София: НАИМ-БАН, ISSN 2367-8860, ISBN 978-954-9472-55-4
  • Спасени съкровища на България. Каталог към изложба. София: НАИМ-БАН, ISSN 2367-8860, ISBN 978-954-9472-65-3 [RESCUED TREASURES OF BULGARIA]
  • Milena Tonkova, Silver in the horse trappings in Thrace. – In: The silver of the Thracians, Catalogue of an exhibition, Museum of History “Iskra”, Kazanlak. (25.08. – 18.12.2017), National Archaeological Museum, Catalogues, Vol. VII, Sofia, 2017 https://www.academia.edu
  • L’épopée des rois thraces, des guerres médiques aux invasions celtes (479-278 av. J.-C.). Découvertes archéologiques en Bulgarie. Alexandre Baralis, Totko Stoyanov, Milena Tonkova https://www.academia.edu
  • M. Tonkova, Les parures d’harnachement en or de Thrace et l’orfèvrerie de la haute époque hellénistique; Rome 2008