The first step in the piece-mold casting process involved making a model of the intended object in clay. Soft clay slabs were pressed against this model taking an impression of the object and any surface decoration. These slabs became the outside sections of the mold; the original model was carved down to become the core. The clay slabs of the mold were then assembled over the core with bronze spacers, called chaplets, strategically placed to separate the core and the mold. The ensemble was then heated and molten bronze poured into it. Because they were in contact with both the core and the outer sections of the mold, the chaplets did not completely melt and fuse with the molten bronze, and are often visible in the finished piece or through x-ray. Their presence is evidence of the use of the piece-mold technique.