Engraving Techniques
The simplest form of engraving is hand engraving (sometimes called “push engraving”), which has been in use almost since civilization began. It sounds like what it is: take a sharp tool and gouge (or push it into) a piece of material to make a mark. One can imagine stone-age humans using this primitive form of engraving to make marks and drawings on cave walls. But the human hand is only strong enough to engrave some materials, and if the material is hard, a person trying to engrave using this method will tire before long.
This problem led to the invention of what was probably the second form of engraving to be created, known as “chasing.” Chasing may have been in use as long as 47,000 years ago. Whether on metal, wood, stone or another material, chasing is simply the use of a hammer (or some other tool) to strike the carving tool, such as a chisel. This form of engraving has the benefit of allowing the engraver to carve much harder materials, such as stone, and work for longer period of time without becoming tired. Chasing was used in many civilizations, from Greece to China, often to carve beautiful statues and figurines.