328 Mr. J. W. Mallet's Report on the Chemical Examination of Antiquities 



The only analysis of Celtic bronze containing so much copper, that I have 

 seen, is that of a broken spear-head found in Ireland, examined by Mr. Phil- 

 lips,* from which he obtained 99-71 per cent, of copper, and 28 of sulphur. 

 The composition of the metal used in casting the celebrated Quadriga of Chios 

 (better known in this country as the Horses of St. Mark's, Venice), as deter- 

 mined by KxAPKOTH,f was also very near that of the present specimens, being 

 99-13 per cent, copper, and -87 tin. Some ancient nails analyzed by the same 

 chemist,! ^"^^ Greek and Eoman coins examined by Mr. Phillips,§ and pupils 

 of Erdmann,(| also appear to have been made from nearly pure copper.** 



The other celts (Nos. 1 and 3), one of the spear-heads (No. 5), and one of 

 the swords (No. 9), agree pretty closely in composition ; containing about 87 

 or 88 per cent, copper, and 13 or 12 of tin, if we disregard all traces of foreign 

 metals. This is the composition assigned by Dr. Eobinson as the best for the 

 purpose, and his opinion seems in fact borne out by the results before us, as 

 the specimens numbered 1, 3, and 5, were certainly very far superior to most 

 of the others in hardness, toughness, and uniformity ; and the alloy having this 

 constitution may be considered as the normal one, at least where other metals 

 than copper and tin are present only in insignificant quantity ; for 2 or 3 per cent, 

 of a foreign metal, as lead, seems to exercise a very great influence in changing 

 the character of the whole. Thus the sword (No. 8) in which the tin amounted 

 to only 8-52 per cent., but which contained besides 3"37 per cent, of lead, fully 

 equalled the weapons just mentioned in hardness, and perhaps even exceeded 

 them in malleability and facility in working. 



The second of the two spear-heads (No. 6) was exceedingly hard, and had 

 received a good edge, but it had not the same toughness as the others, and had 

 broken across without bending ; hence so large a proportion of tin as it contains, 

 14-01 per cent., does not seem to yield a metal so well adapted for weapons. 



The two daggers or knives (Nos. 10 and 11) agree very closely in composi- 

 tion, yet the difference in physical properties is most marked. 



* Quart. Journ. Chem. Soc, loc. cit. f Beitrage, vi. 89. Gehlen's Journal, No. 15." 



X Gehlen's Journal, loc. cit. § Loc. cit. || Journ. pr. Chem. xl. 374. 



** The presence of sulphur is highly interesting as giving the strongest presumption that the 



copper of these ancient alloys was obtained from the imperfect reduction of sulphuretted ores of 



that metal. 



