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The work reported in this article forms the basis for an extended study of arsenic
bronze. The ease with which a copper-arsenic alloy could be prepared by fusing
copper metal with arsenopyrite has been shown; conditions can be readily
adjusted to yield alloys with compositions equivalent to those made in antiquity.
While iron-metal prills were found in the fused crucible remains, it is probable
that such metallic iron will only be observed in ancient crucible sherds when full
vitrification has taken place, otherwise the iron will weather over time to oxide.
Authors Note: All compositions are given in weight percent molten copper, oxidizing the lead to tain a copper metal that could then be
unless otherwise indicated. molten litharge (PbO), which is blownalloyed with a suitable arsenic source.
off the melt and absorbed in the furnace
The Bakiray orestuff, which is likely to
INTRODUCTION
bed. During this procedure, any arsenic
have been the source of the copper for
Ancient arsenical copper-bronze al- that is present is rapidly oxidized and
the lkiztepe arsenical copper objects, is
loys are particularly interesting to ar- released as fume (As2O3). The process is
certainly lead-bearing; much galena (PbS)
chaeologists, as their sources and modes is present, along with other contami-
particularly efficient in oxidizing the ar-
of preparation and/or selection reflect senic since copper oxide is formed tonants, such as zinc (as sphalerite ZnS). 4
the skills available to ancient societies as some extent during the operation, and It has been suggested that arsenical
well as the distribution of the people this has a powerful oxidizing effect. Af-
copper-bronze could result from the
with these skills. If copper were reduced ter the lead and other contaminants, smelting of ore-stuff containing a cop-
from an orestuff composed of either cop- such as arsenic, iron, and zinc, haveper-arsenic mineral, such as tennantite
per ore and arsenic ore, such as arse- been removed, charcoal is added to the
(Cu, Fe)12 As4S13 .5,6 In the Bakiray area,
nopyrite (FeAsS), or a copper ore con- melt to reduce any copper oxide to cop-
little such material can be found; how-
taining arsenic, then a high-arsenic cop- per metal. By this means, if arsenic is
ever, chalcopyrite-malachite-galena-
per (up to five percent arsenic or more) present in the original ore its finalsphalerite (and, possibly, arsenopyrite
can be obtained by direct smelting, as in content is reduced to under 1% in thein places) mixed lodestuff is widespread
the smelting of arsenical coppers in the final copper. 3 in many lodes exposed by early mining.7
South Americas. However, if lead ores Much of the copper orestuff in In addition, the waste dumps contain
are present in the orestuff, the removal Anatolia is lead-bearing, making it most
specimens of material-in-process consist-
of the lead results in the virtual elimina- probable that cupellation had to be un-
ing of rough, white, metallic material
tion of arsenic in the copper. 1 dertaken by the ancient smelters to ob-
chiefly composed of copper-lead-iron, a
A copper-lead few pieces of
mixed ore source which can be cu-
requires a refin- pelled to yield
ing stage during good copper met-
the smelting op- al with little or no
erations to reduce arsenic. Other
the lead content samples with a
if a reasona- high iron content
bly pure copper are very refrac-
metal is required. Pre-Heating Plug tory, which is
A well-estab- probably why
lished and an- they were re-
cient process for jected.
achieving this is Apart from
Crucible Mold Crucible Charging Funnel Closing Ball
through oxidiz- the direct smelt-
ing fire refining ing of an arseni-
in effect, a cupel- cal-copper min-
lation. 2 An air eral or arsenopy-
blast is played 3 mm rite-containing
over a bath of Figure 1. The materials used in the copper/arsenopyrite fusion experiments. ores with little