Mark Pollard

Abstract

This paper continues an earlier contribution that summarized the publications in archaeometallurgical chemistry from 1790 to 1869. Selection for inclusion is focussed primarily on papers which include the chemical analyses of archaeological non-ferrous metals (overwhelmingly copper alloys), but related reports of metal mining and processing, and discussions of metal supply and trade, are also included. The result is a list of 744 publications between 1870 and 1920, of which 29 papers each report more than 30 chemical analyses. The full list and a transcription of the chemical data from approximately 75 papers are available on the FLAME website (http://flame.arch.ox.ac.uk/ public-resources/historical-metal-data-2/). All of the analyses discussed here were produced by gravimetric (wet chemical) analyses, which, from the late 19th century onwards, could be argued to be the best analyses available until very recently, taking into account the relatively large sample taken and the ability to use the analytical total as a quality check.

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References
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Archaeometallurgical chemistry 1870-1920: the high point of gravimetric analysis. (2022). Historical Metallurgy, 52(2), 110-117. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/21
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Archaeometallurgical chemistry 1870-1920: the high point of gravimetric analysis. (2022). Historical Metallurgy, 52(2), 110-117. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/21