A Study in Viking Age Brooches using Modern Technology : Simulating the Casting of a Baroque Bronze Brooch in Magma5 5.3.0.4

Abstract: There is much that is unknown concerning the creation of Viking age brooches. Recreating these brooches in the same way they would have been created in the Viking age to try to understand how they were created is a time consuming project for experimental archaeologists.   This study has been done in order to find out if the time spent can be reduced and at the same time gain a better understanding of the creation of a Viking age brooch using 3D scanning and computer simulations. Casting simulations of a real Viking age brooch have been done using Magma5, a state of the art simulation software.   Simulations were run with several different casting systems, initial metal and mould temperatures, and both with as well as without the brooches distal figurines attached.   It was found that the initial metal and mould temperatures has got impact on the final result of the brooch, but the alloy and casting system has a much greater effect on the final result. The casting system that yielded the best result has the pouring basin directly above the medial part of the brooch and two sprues leading to gates on the north and south medial sides.