IGBO UKWU CIRE PERDUE

Of the two methods used in bronze casting, the solid cast and the hollow cast, or cire perdue, the latter was the one used in Nigeria. There are three kinds of cire perdue casting but the one usually adopted in Nigeria involves the making of a core with a refractory material and then moulding a wax form over it. The mould is held in position by pins so as to maintain the space when the wax is melted out. Liquid bronze is poured into the intervening space. The investment is then broken or destroyed to set free the cast, which is hollow inside, or sometimes retains all or part of the refractory core. Often very little more work such as filing is necessary to finish off an object. In practice, this method is not as simple as it sounds.

IGBO UKWU Culture