analVsis of antique bronzes. 87 



copper in preference for the fabrication of metallic utensils 

 and weapons. Thus what Herodotus says of the Massage- 

 tre, who used no iron, and whose weapons and utensils were 

 of copper, is more or less applicable to all the nations of an- 

 tiquity. 



The great difference in the exterior characters of the two They were 

 metals in their crude state leaves no doubt, that men were ^"nt^a with 

 sooner acquainted with copper, and the method ofadapting.it, as more ea- 

 it to their purposes, than iron. It is probable* that they sl y wrou K 

 found copper in large masses, and nearly prepared by na- 

 ture, as we still meet with it in countries, the mineralogical 

 wealth of which has been little explored. Accordingly in 

 treating the ore by fire they could not fail to observe all the 

 advantages of this metal, both with respect to the richness 

 of its produce, and the facility with which it might be 

 forged. Iron, ou the contrary, was not so obvious to men*9 

 eyes; and the distinguishing of its various ores, with the art 

 of working them, and forming weapons and instruments of 

 them, could only be the fruit of long experience. 



I shall not avail myself of the numerous testimonies of Copper em- 

 ancient authors to prove, that copper has been employed in fe^fcetoiron! 

 preference to iron, as it is sufficient, to appeal to Homer, when the lattct 

 All weapons, both offensive and defensive, as swords, spear- £ as we 

 heads, helmets, and shields, as well as various domestic 

 utensils, were of copper (KuKyos) ; though in Homer's time 

 iron {<Tili)£os) was used, but less frequently, and hardened 

 by pluuging redhot into water. Even when the advantages 

 of iron, and the modes of fabricating it, were well known, 

 men used copper for their weapons ; for instance, in the last 

 ages of the republics of Greece and Rome. 



We know, that copper is not fit for the purposes, for The copper 

 which the ancients employed it. When cast it is porous JJ'J'JJjJSJif 

 and brittle; and, when forged, too soft. The ancient wea- of tin. 

 pons and utensils being of a hardness, which this metal 

 does not possess, it was long supposed, that the ancients had 

 some method of hardening copper, as we do iron and steel. 

 But chemical analysis has shown the falsity of this opinion; 

 and demonstrated, that these weapons and instruments were 

 not pure copper, but an alloy of this metal with tin, which 

 we call bronze, and which w»9 the as, brass, of the Romans. 



The 



