Abstract
Ancient Metal Objects THE Research Committee of the British Association engaged in the analysis of ancient metallic objects and their comparison with naturally occurring ores (formerly the Sumerian Committee) prepared a report for the Dundee meeting on its work in 1938–39. The method of micro-analysis has been mainly employed, but recently time and cost have been saved by quantitative determinations by means of the spectrograph. Standard alloys of known composition make it possible to give actual figures, in place of approximations, of an accuracy approaching that of chemical analysis. A further twenty-five specimens from Troy (Prof. Blegen) have beon examined, and a large number remains which will be examined spectroscopically. Broadly speaking, the specimens from Troy I–IV are of copper, mostly with high arsenic, but including two bronzes, while from Troy VI and VII bronzes greatly preponderate, and the proportion of arsenic is less, indicating a different source for the copper. Analyses of ores from many of the possible sources of copper are still lacking. Fifteen knives and spears from Cyprus (J. R. Stewart) included only one bronze, which contained several per cent of zinc, as did one of the specimens free from tin. Arsenic and silver were prominent impurities. Nine objects from Tell Duweir were: gold, three; electrum, one; copper, three; and bronze with varying impurities, two. Eleven objects from Hureidha, south Arabia (Miss G. Caton-Thompson) were: copper, six; bronze, three; iron and silver, one each. An axe-hammer from Hungary (H. J. E. Peake) was of native copper. Two fragments of pottery with black glaze (Mr. Peake), one Tell Halaf ware from Arpachiyah, and the other al'Ubaid ware from Nineveh, showed the pigment in both instances to be magnetic oxide of iron.
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Research Items. Nature 144, 675–677 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/144675a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/144675a0