Mycenaean black inlaid metalware in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens: a technical examination

Abstract

Current technical interest in the nature of the black inlaid decoration on ancient metalware has stimulated an examination of some of the well-known bronze daggers, silver vessels, and other fragments, all with inlaid decoration and dating to the 16–14th centuries BC, from Mycenae, Prosymna, Dendra, Routsi, and Pylos. Results of non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis point to great versatility in working with copper (or bronze)–gold–silver alloys. The black inlaid decoration is usually copper/bronze–gold alloy with small quantities of silver. Four of the objects were also examined by X-ray radiography.

The Mycenaean pictorial daggers: Patina and inlay

“…Dietz is said to have determined the black material in the 'Thera' dagger to contain copper with c. 10% tin, c. 5% gold and c. 1-2% silver and lead. 18 These percentages would be consistent with black patinated bronze. The elements sought in Dietz's AAS test were not named nor were the calculating procedures given (see the final three subsections of 'XRF analyses').…”

“…The NAM publication did not state this clearly in layman's terms, saying only: 'elements heavier than potassium being detectable' without giving atomic weights for potassium or sulphur (Ref. 18,144). Eleni Mangou, archaeometrist at the NAM and one of the authors of the study, recently confirmed that 'sulfur was not determined because a portable and non-vacuum XRF technique was used' (pers.…”

“…395, 744, 764, 6416, 8446, 8339) appeared in 1995 (see Ref 18,. specifications of equipment, 144 and 151).…”

Colourful Corrosion: Black Bronze and its Enigmatic Patina

“…Furthermore, the compositional analyses they have performed have not been comprehensive. The fact that their X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis could not search for elements like sulphur (see Demakopoulou et al 1995) makes it uncertain whether the black patina is niello, a metal sulphide paste. Today, sulphur can still be a crucial component of black patinas on bronzes.…”

A Better Shade of Black: Effects of Manufacturing Parameters on the Development of Ancient Black Bronzes*

“…A number of publications have presented the major element analysis of black bronze artefacts (Craddock 1982;Murakami et al 1988;La Niece 1991;Giumlia-Mair and Craddock 1993;Wayman and Craddock 1993;Photos 1994;Demakopoulou et al 1995;Giumlia-Mair 1995Stapleton et al 1995;Caple and Clogg 2001;Mathis et al 2005Mathis et al , 2009Aucouturier et al 2010;Mohamed and Darweesh 2012). It is generally agreed that black bronze owes its appearance to a fine, compact and resistant patina developed on its surface.…”