People,
I've been the rounds with this and apparently have here (finally) found a place
where answers may be forthcoming. The following is a listing of the composition
of several iron age gold objects from Ireland, and I'm trying to establish if
the compositions match at all with other artefacts from specific locations in
western Europe, or with ores from known areas in Europe. There is some variation
in composition suggesting several sources or manufacturing techniques or dates
and it may well be that some or most items listed below are made using recycled
metal(s).
Any comments, references or, even better, vast quantities of data (hoping!)
would be very much appreciated.
The comments below, btw, are from John Hooker, who supplied the data also.
Many thanks,
Stiof MacAmhalghaidh
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Re the Broighter alloys. I am used to such information being locked away
from sight like the alloys of the late British Norfolk wolf staters being
hidden in the bowels of the British Museum, unpublished and in the form of
"internal" research papers. While I was compiling that list of iron
objects, I came across the Broighter analyses in the same publication --
right there for anyone to see (how shocking!) Thes figures appear to have
been given rounded for the main alloys and exact for the minor alloys --
the exact % of gold had to be calculated by subtracting evrything else:
Bar torc, 456:
Gold: 67.1% (approx)
Silver: 26% (approx)
Copper: 6.9%
Tin: 0.026%
Nickel: Tr.
Half of bar torc, 457:
Gold: 67.2 (approx)
Silver: 24%
Copper: 8.8%
Tin: 0.0848%
Platinum: 0.0168%
Nickel: Tr.
gold wire on above:
Gold: 67%
Silver: 22%
Copper: 11%
Tin: 0.083%
Platinum: 0.016%
Nickle: Tr.
Gold chain, 458:
Gold: 66.6% (approx)
Silver: 27% (approx)
Copper: 6.4%
Tin: 0.085%
Multi-strand chain with clasp, 459:
Gold: 62.5% (approx)
Silver: 30% (approx)
Copper: 7.5%
Tin: 0.039%
Platinum: 0.014%
Nickle: Tr(?)
Gold Bowl, 575:
Gold: 68.3% (approx)
Silver: 27% (approx)
Copper: 4.7% (approx)
Tin: 0.032%
Platinum: 0.014%
Nickel: Tr.
one loop of above:
Gold: 70.3% (approx)
Silver: 25% (approx)
Copper: 4.7%
Tin: 0.032%
Platinum: 0.018%
Gold Boat:
Gold: 72% (approx)
Silver: 25% (approx)
Copper: 3.9%
Tin: 0.040%
Platinum: 0.017%
Nickel: Tr.(?)
One oar of above:
Gold: 75.4% (approx)
Silver: 20% (approx)
Copper: 3.9%
Tin: 0.040%
Platinum: 0.017%
Nickel: 0.01%
One oar loop of above:
Gold: 75.8% (approx)
Silver: 20% (approx)
Copper: 4.2%
Tin: 0.033%
Platinum: 0.012%
Nickel: Tr.
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