These pictures of pouring molds were published in 1929. Assaying is the process by which ores are evaluated for their content and economic value. If you have ever consumed metal goods (and who hasn't?), the assayer's art has touched your life.
The pouring mold in the Maxwell Museum collections was found when collections were being moved, and it's a mystery how it got here. The museum does preserve archaeological objects from modern industrial society, however, so it's fitting to hang on to it. In fact, there is a whole branch of the profession known as "industrial archaeology." Have you ever wondered whether some day, archaeologists will study what you leave behind? We already are.
Our thanks to Dr. Dave Love, of New Mexico Tech, for identifying the pouring mold and providing a copy of the image shown above.
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Image source: A Manual of Fire Assaying by Charles Herman Fulton and William J. Sharwood, McGraw-Hill, 1929. All other content on this page copyright © Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico.
Page last revised on August 20, 2009. Please report problems to toh@unm.edu