Ancient Greek Bronze Veiled in Mystery

Original Location

The Bronze statuette of a veiled and masked dancer is said to be from Alexandria (Thompson 1950, p. 379), dating back to the 3rd–2nd century B.C.

Permanent Location

Currently, this piece is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York, Gallery 163.

The Medium

The statuette is crafted from bronze, a material that has intrigued historians and art enthusiasts for centuries.

My Journey into Bronze Casting

In 2009, while working in French media, I had the opportunity to cover a MET exhibit titled “Cast in Bronze: French Sculpture from Renaissance to Revolution.” During this time, I was fortunate to interview the late James Draper, the exhibit's curator. Notably, Draper was not only an esteemed art museum curator but also a decorated Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters, an honor bestowed by the French government. This experience profoundly impacted my understanding of bronze sculpture and ignited my passion for the art form.

This meeting ignited my passion for bronze casting. Over the years, I delved deeper into the fascinating world of Greek bronze, enriched by numerous interactions with MET volunteer guides.

The Mystery of Ancient Greek Bronze Casting

In February 2023, a MET volunteer guide shared fascinating insights about the Bronze statuette of a veiled and masked dancer, believed to be from Alexandria, Egypt. This rare artifact exemplifies the enigmatic process of ancient Greek bronze casting, a technique that remains shrouded in mystery to this day.

The guide explained that bronze casting in ancient times required reaching extremely high temperatures. This process was particularly challenging because, at the time, firewood was the primary fuel source. Consequently, to melt the bronze alloys—typically a mix of copper and tin—craftsmen needed not only significant skill but also great expertise.

Despite extensive research, we still do not fully understand the methods the Ancient Greeks used to consistently reach and maintain these high temperatures. Moreover, bronze casting dates back to at least 2500 B.C. Nevertheless, accurately dating these sculptures remains difficult, and some may be even older.

The advanced techniques and knowledge of ancient civilizations continue to intrigue historians and scientists. As Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” This enduring curiosity motivates us to explore and uncover the mysteries of the past, including the sophisticated techniques of ancient Greek bronze casting.

The Bronze Casting Process

Bronze casting involves pouring molten bronze into a hollow mold to create a positive of an object. Achieving this requires extremely high temperatures (1790-1900°F or 976-1037°C) sustained over a long period. Craftsmen compose most bronze alloys of approximately 90% copper and add 10% of tin, aluminum, nickel, or zinc. The lower melting point of bronze compared to pure copper allows it to stay liquid longer when filling a mold.

Challenges and Techniques

Creating a smooth and perfect finish in bronze sculptures remains incredibly difficult, even with modern technology. Despite advances, the ancient techniques used by the Greeks to achieve this finish remain unclear. Additionally, for larger sculptures, artisans employed the wax cast technique. The skill required to attach and polish different sections highlights the exceptional craftsmanship of ancient artisans.

The Enigma of Ancient Technologies

The more I learn about ancient civilizations like the Greeks, Mayans, and Egyptians, the more evident it becomes that they possessed advanced knowledge and technologies that are challenging to replicate today. An intriguing anecdote from my art teacher about prehistoric arrowheads highlights this mystery—some arrowheads exhibit sharpness that modern tools can't achieve.

This reminds me of Zhang Guolao, one of the eight deities in Chinese mythology. In the book Zhuan Falun, Intention () it is mentioned that Zhang rode his donkey backward because he discovered that moving forward is actually moving backward—a profound insight into ancient wisdom.

Takeaways

The more I learn about Ancient Greeks, Mayans, Egyptians the more it seems clear that they had advanced knowledge. They had access to technologies we can’t replicate today with our modern tools.

I remember hearing one of my art teachers (fun fact, who is actually Greek) tell me a story about prehistoric arrow heads. You can find them today in different locations. Some arrow heads were found to have sharpness that can't be replicated with modern tools. I have yet to find more studies on this topic.

This reminds me of Zhang Gualao, Chinese people might be more familiar with him. In the book Zhuan Falun it says:

"Zhang Guolao, one of the eight deities, rode backward on his donkey. Few people know why he rode backward on his donkey. He discovered that going forward is moving backward, so he rode the donkey the other way around."

I think Zhang Gualao was quite wise and ahead of his time.

Link to the talk James Draper held at the MET https://youtu.be/Y3GN6CgyZyI
And the story I worked on (in French): https://youtu.be/fBb1lYNE2aI
Getty Museum's Introduction to bronze sculpture of the Hellenistic world

Conclusion

As we uncover more about ancient technologies, we deepen our appreciation for the ingenuity and skill of our ancestors. For additional insights into ancient Greek art and its lasting influence, be sure to read my article on the Diadumenus and its connection to the 2024 Paris Olympics.