Mar.4] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCH/EOLOGY.' [189aperformedmostof the actual work,has the greatest confidencein, is
as follows :—
Copper ... ... 93*26
Arsenic ... ... 3-oo
Tin ... ... ... 0*52
Antimony 016
Iron ... ... ... o-2ioB-05
Theamount of tin is rather doubtful, though there is not much
doubtthata very smallquantityof it is present in the hatchet.
The Round Chisel.—Theboringsfromthis were nearlyfreefrom
arsenic, but there was no doubt about theircontainingsometin.
Thereactionsof it were unmistakeable. Thefollowingproportions
wereobtained:—
Copper 96-35
Arsenic ... ... 0-36
Tin 216
9887
Thedeficiencyin this and the other analysismaywell be due to a
littleoxide; but some portions of the metal seemedto contain a
littlesulphide,whileothersdid not.
TheMirrorHandle.—-Theboringsfromthis,excludingthe 2*9
per cent, of oxygen alreadyreferredto, gave approximately 95 per
cent,of copper, and a decided amountof tin and arsenic,witha
littleiron.
77/<? Knife.—The borings from this were of much the same
composition,the tin being comparablein amount withthatfoundin
the large hatchet.
In none of these specimenswas any zinc detected. It is evident
thereforethattheseearlieralloyshaveno right to be called brass;
andprobablytheyshould be designated ratheras imperfectly puri
fied copper, thanas bronze. It is difficult to imagine thatsuchsmall
quantitiesof tin were purposelyadded; it is, however, easyto sup
posethatthe ancient Egyptians foundcertainoresof copper more
suitedfor their purposethanothers.
As phosphorus is known to have the effect of hardening copper,
and is supposed to have beenusedin ancient timesfor that purpose,
it was sought for carefully in the material fromthe round chisel,but
no trace of it was detected.
228