CHAP. II. 



EGYPT AND NUBIA. 53 



five days. For separating and fining the gold, 

 alloys were employed, consisting of lead, tin, 

 salt, and barley bran L . By these applications, 

 during five days' continuance, after cooling, a 

 mass of clear and purified gold was obtained. 

 The Egyptians are shown by the Mosaic history " 

 to have been acquainted with the art of purify- 

 ing gold. The Hebrew lawgiver was skilled 

 in all the learning of the Egyptians ; ,and as it is 

 not related as a display of miraculous power, 

 we may venture to presume that his grinding 

 the golden calf to powder was effected by the 

 application of some substances, perhaps of nitre, 

 which abounded in Egypt, with the knowledge 

 of which he had become acquainted in the 

 course of the education he had received in the 

 royal palace. 



It is probable, though we have now no notices 

 on the subject, that the Egyptians managed 

 their silver ores in the smelting-houses in the 

 same manner as the gold. After the conquest 

 of Egypt by Cambyses, about 5 10 years before 

 Christ, and whilst under the government of his 

 lieutenant, Aryandes 3 , a great improvement 

 seems to have been made in the purification of 

 silver ; for that which was produced under that 



1 Diodor. iii. 14. Miuvree p-oXifidov /3oAoj', dXuv, K 



, KO.L KptdtVOV TTLTVpOV. . 



2 Exodus, cap. xxv. v. 31 36, and cap. xxxii. v. 4. 



3 Herodut. Pollux, iii s 87- 



