44 . NOTES ON BRONZE. 



authority cannot be quoted, that peat soil causes this appearance. 

 This was affirmed in connection with a number of coins of the 

 Constantines in the Dorset Museum, which in a less degree have 

 this gilt look. (Case G. ii., 250, 254, &c.) The question is one 

 worthy of research, but not easy to work out. 



A few sentences must be given to methods of working bronze. 

 A noteworthy quality of this alloy is that it is much harder than 

 either of its chief ingredients and more fusible. Also in alloy of 

 some proportions, such as Chinese gong-metal, with as much as 

 20 per cent, of tin, it is more brittle by far than is either of the 

 two simple metals. This brittleness is remedied by making the 

 bronze slightly red hot, when it can be forged and remains tough 

 permanently. Some cast bronze, with little tin, is, however, 

 pretty tough. This is evident from the socket-celts, which, from 

 their hollowness, could not well be hammered except close to the 

 edge. And also it is shown by the practice, which is affirmed by 

 some to have existed. This was, to hammer the bronze when 

 cold as a means of hardening and tempering it. Another way, 

 producing this result, is mentioned by Sir J. Evans, but doubt- 

 fully. This method is the cooling the bronze slowly, making it 

 (as affirmed) as hard as steel and less brittle. With the just 

 possible exception of some of the early plain wedge-shaped 

 celts, all weapons and tools seem to have been cast. So, too, 

 were a great part of the ornaments and other small Celtic or 

 Roman things made of bronze. It has been thought that all 

 bronze things found in Britain were imported, perhaps from 

 Etruria. But some celts and spear-heads were home-made, for 

 stone moulds for them have been found in England. Of these 

 two or more are from Dorset, but unfortunately neither of them 

 is in the County Museum. 



The Romans, borrowing probably from the Greeks, as was 

 their wont, cast bronze statues of any large size hollow. Some 

 of them arc of extraordinarily thin metal. It may be in place to 

 say a word about this method. Some persons may be puzzled by 

 it, and in the Cunnington Collection here we have a fragment of 

 a hollow bronze statue. Moreover, every socket-celt and spear- 



