DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14058#0120
112 EGYPTIAN FUNEREAL INSCRIPTIONS.
far as regards its general appearance and charac-
teristics, whereas silver and the other metals are
almost invariably found in a state of oxidation or
combined with other mineral substances rendering
their recognition difficult. There is, therefore, the
strongest presumption that gold was the first metal
with which mankind became acquainted. The re-
duction of silver ores is only effected by a tedious
mechanical process, and implies a considerable degree
of knowledge in chemistry and metallurgy, arts
which no- doubt the Egyptians possessed and
practised from a period coeval with their earliest
monuments.
far as regards its general appearance and charac-
teristics, whereas silver and the other metals are
almost invariably found in a state of oxidation or
combined with other mineral substances rendering
their recognition difficult. There is, therefore, the
strongest presumption that gold was the first metal
with which mankind became acquainted. The re-
duction of silver ores is only effected by a tedious
mechanical process, and implies a considerable degree
of knowledge in chemistry and metallurgy, arts
which no- doubt the Egyptians possessed and
practised from a period coeval with their earliest
monuments.