Abstract
MEDIEVAL METALLURGY.—An interesting article on medieval metallurgy, by M. L. Becker, appears in the Memoirs and Proceedings of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society (1923-1924, No. 4). No important metallurgical information of early times can be obtained from works prior to those of Dioscorides (first century A.D.), who describes brass and the recovery of zinc oxide. Pliny at the same period describes the smelting of metals, but he does not appear to have had practical experience in this direction. The really important literature dates from the eleventh century onwards, and includes the works of Theophilus and Agricola. The latter's contributions to metallurgical science, embodied in his book “De Re Metallica,” are considered in detail, many illustrations being reproduced.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Research Items. Nature 114, 837–839 (1924). https://doi.org/10.1038/114837a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/114837a0