DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3720#0116
GOLD, SILVER, AND OTHER METALS. 99
from the Greeks, who employed the word "silver" for "money"
(like the French '"argent"), from its having been first known
to them. The Egyptians had no coined money; their gold and
silver was in rings, similar to those used at the present day in
Sennar; and, like the iron rings of the ancient British men-
tioned by Caesar, when purchases were made, they were tried in
the scales to ascertain if the " money " was " in full weight."
The use of other metals—as tin and zinc (mostly for bronze
and brass), as well as of iron and steel—is either directly proved
by discoveries in the tombs, or inferred from the monuments;
and the manufacture of bronze is shown to have dated at least
as early as the fifth dynasty, more than 4000 years before our
era. But, as in some other countries, the use of hammered
bronze preceded the two processes of running the metal into a
mould, and casting it hollow on a core. The bronze of Egypt
varied in its quality according to the alloys it contained, some
having more or less tin, some being mixed with silver or other
metals; but that for ordinary purposes contained 80 or 90 of
copper to 20 or 10 of tin, like most bronze of Roman times.
That of Greece varied much in quality and colour, from the
proportions and variety of the alloys; the most noted of which
was the Corinthian bronze, miscalled " brass," and which, from
the silver it contained, had a " pale " hue. This was an old
manufacture, and was not, as an idle and improbable tale
asserts, the result of an accidental mixture of metals at
the burning of the city. Some of the Corinthian cups had
even the richness of gold: and drinking-cups of this kind
have been found in Greece. Indeed, the fine quality of
Egyptian and Greek metal mirrors and other ornamental objects
is well known, and many of the latter were made to assume
various colours by the introduction of bronze of different
alloys; which process, having been first adopted by the
h2
from the Greeks, who employed the word "silver" for "money"
(like the French '"argent"), from its having been first known
to them. The Egyptians had no coined money; their gold and
silver was in rings, similar to those used at the present day in
Sennar; and, like the iron rings of the ancient British men-
tioned by Caesar, when purchases were made, they were tried in
the scales to ascertain if the " money " was " in full weight."
The use of other metals—as tin and zinc (mostly for bronze
and brass), as well as of iron and steel—is either directly proved
by discoveries in the tombs, or inferred from the monuments;
and the manufacture of bronze is shown to have dated at least
as early as the fifth dynasty, more than 4000 years before our
era. But, as in some other countries, the use of hammered
bronze preceded the two processes of running the metal into a
mould, and casting it hollow on a core. The bronze of Egypt
varied in its quality according to the alloys it contained, some
having more or less tin, some being mixed with silver or other
metals; but that for ordinary purposes contained 80 or 90 of
copper to 20 or 10 of tin, like most bronze of Roman times.
That of Greece varied much in quality and colour, from the
proportions and variety of the alloys; the most noted of which
was the Corinthian bronze, miscalled " brass," and which, from
the silver it contained, had a " pale " hue. This was an old
manufacture, and was not, as an idle and improbable tale
asserts, the result of an accidental mixture of metals at
the burning of the city. Some of the Corinthian cups had
even the richness of gold: and drinking-cups of this kind
have been found in Greece. Indeed, the fine quality of
Egyptian and Greek metal mirrors and other ornamental objects
is well known, and many of the latter were made to assume
various colours by the introduction of bronze of different
alloys; which process, having been first adopted by the
h2