1) Artistic technique 
Pointillé is a decorative technique in which patterns are formed on a surface by a means of punched dots. The technique is similar to embossing or engraving but is done manually and does not cut into the surface being decorated. Pointillé was commonly used to decorate arms and armor starting in the fifteenth century . The Holy Thorn Reliquary in...
Technique for decorating leather with impressed gold dots used in bookbinding from the 17thC.