The metalware art is in vogue here with a style, evolved from the East and West. Muslim were to this famous for their metalwork, termed Islamic Metalwork. Mughal Metalwork carries on the Islamic tradition of the art. Metalware, with a host of techniques of ornamentation, emerged here during the Mughal period, as an art under the patronage of the ruling kings.
In the past, objects of daily use were decorated. The handicrafts were intended primarily to answer to the daily needs, yet through their ornamentation they satisfied spiritual needs.
There is vast potential for the development of metal and its products though the latest techniques in the manufacturing of these metals and its products, said the Minister for Culture Dr G. G. Jamal, while talking to APP. "We want to revive our traditional heritage of metal work, making it popular both at the domestic and international level," he remarked.
According to Lok Virsa, National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, the patronage of the art by Islamic rulers in the Sub- Continent gave birth to exquisite specimens of metal crafts, such as elegantly proportioned samovars, ewers, goblets, pedestal tobacco pipes, plates, bowls and glasses.
The discovery of metals, about 5000-3000 BC, excited man to its use in life as a new medium alongside stone and wood.
Archaeological excavations in our part of the world, have revealed evidence that metal craft was an indigenous tradition, initially hunting instruments were made in metal, followed by domestic and other utilitarian requirements.
Production of armoury was an important branch of metal craft throughout the ages, which is in great demand even today specially in the tribal areas, said Malik Aslam Khan, a dealer of metal craft in tribal areas.
The weapons including swords, daggers, knives, shields, carbines and helmets were made of metals, such as iron and steel, while the handles of these weapons were beautifully engraved and encrusted with other metals, semi-precious stones and beads.
The first discovery of metals was made in the chain of hills in Central Asia and the valleys around the rivers Tigris and Euphrates in the Middle East.
During the riverine civilisation, metals were imported from far away lands and various Central Asian countries became sources of obtaining metals.
Gold and Silver are precious metals, also known as noble metals. The ancient custom of burying the dead, adorned with their valuables, revealed exemplary pieces of jewellery made of gold and silver, studded with precious stones. The permanent brilliance of gold and the pure whiteness of silver reflect the taste of the wealthy and sophisticated class.
With the discovery of mercury in the eighteenth century, two more precious metals have been added to the category of precious metals, namely Pladium and Platinum.
Besides precious metals, there is another class of metals known as common metals, which include copper, zinc, brass, bronze, iron and steel. Owing to its durable nature, metals are well-preserved and survive from pre-historic times, copper was found in the earth's crust as native metal and also in the form of ores. The craft of metalwork, was first developed in Central Asia, near Kazakhstan and Anatolia, other middle eastern countries further refined the art and it then spread both towards the East and the West.
Metal products go through the process of shaping or moulding, strengthening, soldering and polishing, says a blacksmith in a local market. The tools required for these processes include anvil, hammer, chisels, swages, lathe and furnace, while the distinctive techniques of ornamenting metalware include embossing, engraving, cutting, piercing, repouse, enamelling and damascening.
A common practice in Pakistan is the use of metal ware for cooking purposes and storage of grains and water, reported Aslam Shah, an owner of a local crockery shop.