----- Original Message -----
From: John Twilley <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 11:49 AM
Subject: Re: ZINC METAL IN AMCIENT EGYPT
> Ken,
>
> Marie Farnsworth published an account of her examination of the Athenian
> example (which was found, if memory serves, in a desturbed context) in the the
> American Journal of Archaeology, several decades ago. The "other references"
> to which you refer are probably concerned with the European context where
> brasses were obtained by the cementation process without isolating the zinc
> until rather recently. There is strong evidence for much earlier innovation in
> the refining and isolation of zinc in India than in Europe. For this you will
> find numerous publications by Paul Craddock.
>
> John Twilley
> Conservation Scientist
>
> KEN SIMONELIC wrote:
>
> > In the book: "A Short History of Chemistry" by J.R. Partington, Dover
> > Publications, 1987, indicates on page 8:"Actual specimens of zinc were
> > found on the Island of Rhodes (500 B.C.), in Athens (4 to 2 centuries B.C.
> > and elsewhere in Europe."
> >
> > Other references have indicated that zinc was not availabe in its pure form
> > until around the 1500th century.
> >
> > Is there any evidence that the ancient Egyptians, anytime before 1200 B.C.,
> > had, used, or imported metallic zinc?
> >
> > Ken
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