Development of artificial black patina on Mycenaean metal finds

Abstract

Artificially black patinated finds from Mycenaean contexts are among the most interesting Bronze Age metal objects. They come from several contexts in the Eastern Mediterranean and are important because of their technology and as indication of trade and cultural connections. Regrettably only few examples of items of this material have been scientifically examined. Archaeologists without a scientific background are still not aware of the true nature of the black material with precious metal inlays. This paper presents a research on the development of the patina on a Mycenaean dagger and on the famous silver cup from Enkomi in Cyprus. The alloys employed for the black inlays, analysed up to now, consist of Cu containing low amounts of Au that was artificially patinated by different methods: either the red hot object was plunged into an aqueous solution containing copper salts and alum or it was heated in the boiling solution.