2 Harden, Composition of Ancient Iron Implements. 



manganese. Two implements were selected for examina- 

 tion : — 



(i) A chisel shaped like a modern mortise chisel, 

 which weighed 333*05 grams and had a specific gravity 

 °f 7763 at i8°/i8°. The blade was sufficiently hard to 

 scratch apatite but not felspar, and must, therefore, be 

 considered as soft. This implement contains a small 

 amount of nickel and cobalt (about 0*15 °/ ), metals 

 which are frequently found in iron in small amount. It 

 also contains a trace of copper, but appears to be 

 quite free from manganese. 



(2) An implement shaped like a modern hard edge or 

 hardie, used in blacksmith's work. This weighed 462*5 

 grams, and was decidedly harder than the chisel, the 

 edge distinctly marking felspar. The metal of this im- 

 plement is free from nickel and cobalt, as well as from 

 manganese. 



The analytical results were as follows : — 



(1) Chisel. (2) Hardie. 



Carbon o*n 0*15 



Silicon 0*07 0*22 



Sulphur 0*026 0-03 



Phosphorus o*oi 0*07 



Both the implements, therefore, contain a very low 

 amount of carbon, and must be characterised as very 

 mild steel or even malleable iron incapable of becoming 

 very hard by tempering. 



An experiment was made with one of the files to see 

 whether it was capable of becoming hard, and it was 

 found that when the metal was heated to whiteness and 

 quenched in water it did become distinctly harder, but 

 was still much softer than a modern file. 



The specimen of bronze was taken from a small 

 model of an implement found in the foundation deposit 



