Cire perdue

Metal Casting Techniques. Many ancient cast metal objects were made by the cire perdue (lost wax) casting process, which involves pouring molten metal into a one-piece mold and letting it solidify modem fakes are usually cast in two halves that are then joined. A casting fin, or a fine line of filed solder on a cast object, usually reveals that the casting is modem. 

The waste wax or cire -perdue method of making hollow castings is believed to have originated in Egypt about this timef. A nucleus of suitable material such as sand or clay was prepared and coated with wax. The wax envelope was suitably shaped and the whole covered with a layer of fine clay and then with loam. The wax was now melted and allowed to flow away whilst molten metal was poured into the hollow mould thus produced. 

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