IThusi

IThusi liyisiqungo esakhiwe ngokuyinhloko ngosoklele, kanye nesithanambi esingaba yi-12 ekhulwini futhi imvama kufakwa nezinye izinkimbi (ezihlanganisa isAlumbe, uManyazini, INimbi noma iZethe) futhi ngezinye izikhathi kufakwa nokungenkimbi, okufana nepholoba, noma iSiphemba. Lezenezelo zikhiqiza izinhlobo zeziqungo ezingaba eziqatha kunosoklele uwodwa, noma ezinezinye izakhi eziwusizo, ezifana nobukhwepha, ukulembuluka (ductility) noma ukuguxazela.

Inkathi yasemivubulukweni lapho ithusi laliyinkimbi eqatha kakhulu futhi lisetshenziswa kabanzi yaziwa ngokuthi inkathi yethusi. Lenkathi yethusi yaqala entshona naseYurashiya naseNdiya phakathi nekulungwane yesine BCE, nasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesibili BCE eShayina; yasabalalela kwezinye izindawo kancane kancane ezifundeni zonke. Inkathi yethusi yalandelwa inkathi yensimbi kusuka ngowe-1300 BCE futhi yafinyelela eYurashiya cishe ngowama-500 BCE, nakuba ithusi laqhubeka nokusetshenziswa kabanzi ngokungafani nanamuhla.

Ngenxa yokuthi imisebenzi yobuciko yayivame okwenziwa ngosoklele nezethe futhi amathusi anezakhiwo ezihlukile, izindluzokugcina (museums) kanye nezincaziso zongoti zemisebenzi yobuciko emidala, zisebenzisa kakhulu ibizo elithi "isiqungo sosoklele."

Izinkomba

Bhulonze