Mark Pollard

Abstract

This paper compiles and reviews the chemical analyses of archaeological copper alloy metalwork from the earliest documented attempts around 1775 to the first major compilation by von Bibra in 1869. The early analyses (up to around 1845) are often incomplete even for the major alloying elements (Sn, Zn, Pb), and rarely report any trace element data, but by the 1850s gravimetric analyses often include up to 10 elements or more, and are therefore as complete as many modern analyses. The large samples taken (1g of metal), whilst not in line with modern practice, does mean that the analyses are likely to be minimally affected by inhomogeneity and surface enrichment phenomena, which can be a problem with modern micro-analyses. This paper is based on approximately 110 publications between 1775 and 1869. The published data from the major contributions have been digitized and are available on the RLAHA website.

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References
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How to Cite
The first hundred years of archaeometallurgical chemistry: Pownall (1775) to von Bibra (1869). (2021). Historical Metallurgy, 49(1), 37-49. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/74
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