Gold Ropework

Ropework describes the use of rope motifs in jewellery as either a border or a central motif. The use of rope motifs in this manner was popular in Roman jewellery, particularly in rings and earings. Ropework may but does not usually involve the forming of the metal into braids as with real rope but is more frequently shaped to give the appearance of rope by other methods such as casting or twisting the metal. Ropework may in certain instances be continuous with the use of minimal, stylised columns of leaves as though protruding regularly from a stem.