Before revision: The name derives from the Latin nigellum for the substance,Levinson, 528 or nigello or neelo, the medieval Latin for black.Osborne, 594 Though historically most common in Europe, it is also known from many parts of Asia and the Near East.Osborne, 595 Bronze Age Detail of the bronze "Lion Hunt Dagger" with niello, gold and silver from Grave Circle A, Mycenae, c. 1550 BC.NAMA 394, full image There are a number of claimed uses of niello from the Mediterranean Bronze Age, all of which have been the subjects of disputes as to the actual composition of the materials used, that have not been conclusively settled, despite some decades of debate.
After revision: The name derives from the Latin nigellum for the substance,Levinson, 528 or nigello or neelo, the medieval Latin for black.Osborne, 594 Though historically most common in Europe, it is also known from many parts of Asia and the Near East.Osborne, 595 Bronze Age There are a number of claimed uses of niello from the Mediterranean Bronze Age, all of which have been the subjects of disputes as to the actual composition of the materials used, that have not been conclusively settled, despite some decades of debate.