Niello Pattern

Niello refers to the technique of inlaying a black mixture into engraved metal in order to bring out the design by contrasting the colour of the metal with the black niello once both are polished together to form a flush surface. The earliest suggested use of niello dates from Syria around 1800 BC and is a widely spread technique. With many examples from antiquity, the original niello has been lost or only remains in traces.