ANALYSIS OF ANTIQUE BHONZE8. 9 J 



been polished, is very fine. We have no sufficient clew to 

 the use of these rings. Its unalysis gave tin 9» copper 91. 



The same proportions were found in an elastic ring ana- 

 lysed by Mr. Mongez, which was found near Bourg, where 

 several other Roman antiquities had before been disco- 

 vered. 



It is to be wished, that the elastic property of bronze 

 should be examined more minutely. 



4. Analysis of a piece of Grecian brass. 



This little fragment, decorated with ornaments, which Grecian brass, 

 was found in Sicily in a Grecian tomb, appears to have 

 been a button, or some other ornament of armour. Its pro- 

 portions are, tin 11, copper 89. 



5, Analysis of antique rivets. 



These rivets were short, and of the thickness of a middle- Antique rivets, 

 sized wire. As it was necessary they should be flexible, it 

 was requisite, that the alloy should be in different propor- 

 tions, that of the tin being diminished. This consisted of 

 tin 2^25, copper 97*75. 



6. Analysis of an antique cup. 



The great number of antique cups and vases found at Antique^, 

 different times sufficiently prove, that the ancients possessed 

 the art of reducing bronze to thin sheets. The cup, pieces 

 of which were employed for this analysis, was found in a 

 Grecian tomb near Naples. It has so well resisted rust, 

 that its inside has lost very little of its polish. Being very 

 thin, I expected to find in it but a smarl proportion of tin ; 

 but I obtained tin 14, copper 86. 



Comparing the proportions of tin found in the present Antique mit» 

 analysis with those of a fragment of an antique mirror, ror * 

 which I had already published in Scherer's Journal, vol. 

 VI, and which consisted of 32 per cent tin, and a little 

 lead, we find, that the ancients judiciously adapted the 

 proportions of tin and copper to the purposes, for which 

 they were required. I conceive it unnecessary to particu- 

 larize the rest of the analyses I made of pieces of antique 



bronze : 



