frovi the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy. 321 



than analyze it qualitatively. It was of a dark bluish-gray colour, approaching 

 black, very brittle, and exhibited a small lamellar fracture when broken. 



It consisted, as had been previously known, or at least generally sup- 

 posed, for the most part of silver ; but contained besides, antimony, sulphur, 

 and traces of lead and copper. It may very probably have been made by the 

 partial reduction of some of the antimonial ores of silver, its sole essential 

 constituents being, I believe, silver, antimony, and sulphur. 



Having discussed the results of the examination of the antiquities of gold 

 and silver, which principally belong to the class of ornaments, the metallic re- 

 mains next to be considered are those composed of the important alloy bronze, 

 in primitive ages the universal material for all instruments or utensils in 

 which tenacity and hardness were required, and that are formed of iron in more 

 modern times. 



WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS OF BRONZE. 



These, the forms of many of which are very peculiar, and sometimes very 

 beautiful, and their workmanship frequently such as would not disgrace the 

 artificers of the present day, have early directed the attention of archasologists 

 to the processes used in their formation by the smiths and metallurgists of the 

 epoch to which they belonged. Hence we find several inquiries, more or less 

 extended, on record, aiming at an elucidation of some of these processes by the 

 assistance of chemical analysis. Thus, of specimens found in the British Isles, 

 Mr. Alchorn,* His Majesty's Assay-master in 1774, examined two bronze 

 swords found in a bog at Cullen, Co. Tipperary, and announced as the result, 

 that the metal was "chiefly copper, interspersed with particles of iron, and 

 perhaps some zinc, but without containing either gold or silver ;" adding, 

 " But I confess myself unable to determine anything with certainty." 



In 1796, Dk. PEARSONf communicated to the Royal Society an account of 

 his analysis of seven specimens of bronze, found in the bed of the river 

 Witham in Lincolnshire, in which he found, copper, 85'7 to 91 per cent; tin, 

 14 to 9 ; and in one instance, 0'3 of silver. In 1816, Professor Clarke,! of 



* ArohsEologia, vol. iii. p. 355. f Philos. Trans. 1796. % Arohaeologia, vol. xviii. p. 343- 



