The intricate, ancient bronze-casting process that ends with a satisfying crunch

The lost-wax technique (also known as lost-wax casting or cire-perdue in French) is an ancient sculpture-duplication process that dates back some six millennia. The technique is incredibly intricate and sophisticated, involving plastering, molding, detailing and casting, before the mold is smashed and the hollow, and therefore much lighter-weight, metal replica is revealed. This video from the Israeli animators Renana Aldor and Kobi Vogman combines stop-motion and 2D animation to demonstrate the ancient casting process using a bust of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who ruled in 117–138 CE.