The original wizard’s hat.
These textile explorations are based on a most wondrous exhibit in the Neues Museum in Berlin – that of a ceremonial conical hat, of thin gold leaf, made during the late Bronze age, hammered out of a single ingot of gold and incised with concentric circles, bands and crescent moons.
It would have been worn by deities or priests as part of a solar cult widespread in Central Europe at the time, permitting them to calculate dates and periods in both lunar and solar calendars, useful for anticipating important events, such as the summer and winter solstices.
It stands at 745 mm high, made from 490 g of gold, and would have been worn as the outer covering to a substructure, probably made of an organic material.
There have been only four such hats found, all from central Europe, all slightly different in size, form and ornamentation.
Please see Full Catalogue of Works for other pieces in this collection.
Victoria Smith artist 