Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 24.djvu/151

face was pitted and covered with a layer of green carbonate of copper.

Composition

per cent

Copper 90.28

Tin 7.31

Lead 19

Zinc 17

Iron 48

98.43

This specimen seemed to be a real bronze, although the presence of zinc in the alloy is unusual. Having been purchased at a curio shop, the authenticity is somewhat doubtful.

No. 11, Silver Alloy from Greece. A piece of thin silver, portion of a vase or ornament from Schliemann's tombs at Mycenae, obtained from Dr. Stais of the Athens Museum. It was covered with a scale which was detached and analyzed separately.

Composition of the Clean Metal

per cent

Silver 95.88

Copper 3.48

Gold 43

99.79

No. 12, Scale on Silver Alloy from Greece.

Composition of the Scale

per cent

Silver Chloride 42. 80

Silver Oxide 44.80

Copper Oxide 10.40

Gold 40

Moisture 1.60

100.00

The composition of this alloy was remarkable from the fact that it might have contained more copper without affecting its brilliancy, and the presence of sufficient gold to have made it profitable to have separated the gold from the silver had these ancient metal workers known how to "part it." This composition