History of Bronze
– Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals and sometimes non-metals.
– The Bronze Age, when bronze was the hardest metal in widespread use, is conventionally dated to the mid-4th millennium BCE.
– The Bronze Age started in western Eurasia and India, and gradually spread across regions.
– The Iron Age followed the Bronze Age, starting around 1300 BCE.
– Bronze continued to be widely used even during the Iron Age.
– The Bronze Age gave way to the Iron Age due to disruptions in the tin trade.
– Iron became cheaper and improved in quality, leading to its increased use.
– Steel, which is stronger and harder than bronze, was developed during this time.
– Bronze, however, continued to be used during the Iron Age.
– The transition to iron marked a significant shift in metalworking techniques and materials.
Composition and Properties of Bronze
– Modern bronze is typically 88% copper and 12% tin.
– Alpha bronze alloys, containing 4-5% tin, are used for various purposes such as making coins, springs, turbines, and blades.
– Historical bronzes have highly variable compositions, often made from whatever scrap metal was available.
– Two common forms of bronze used in the Bronze Age were classic bronze (10% tin) and mild bronze (6% tin).
– Commercial bronze (90% copper and 10% zinc) and architectural bronze (57% copper, 3% lead, 40% zinc) are considered brass alloys.
– Bronze has a lower melting point than steel or iron and is more readily produced.
– It is about 10% denser than steel, although alloys with aluminum or silicon may be slightly less dense.
– Bronze is a better conductor of heat and electricity than most steels.
– Copper-based alloys, including bronze, have versatile physical, mechanical, and chemical properties.
– Bronze alloys have various uses, such as high electrical conductivity, low-friction properties, resonant qualities, and resistance to corrosion.
Uses of Bronze
– Bronze is used for coins, boat and ship fittings, ship propellers, and submerged bearings.
– It is commonly used for bearings, clips, electrical connectors, and springs.
– Bronze has low friction against dissimilar metals, making it important for cannons.
– It is used for springs, bushings, automobile transmission pilot bearings, and small electric motor bearings.
– Bronze is used to make hammers, mallets, wrenches, and other durable tools.
– Bronze is widely used for casting bronze sculptures.
– Common bronze alloys expand slightly before setting, allowing for fine details in the mold.
– Bronze statues were highly regarded in Ancient Greek art.
– Bronze sculptures have been found in India, particularly during the Chola empire.
– Other cultures, such as the Kingdom of Benin and ancient China, also produced bronze sculptures.
– Before glass mirrors, bronze was commonly used for mirrors.
– Bronze mirrors have been found in ancient Egypt, China, Etruria, and Greece.
– Bronze mirrors were still being made in Japan and Kerala, India in the 18th century.
– Bronze mirrors were made using independent discoveries in different parts of the world.
– Bronze mirrors are still made on a small scale in Kerala, India.
– Bronze is the preferred metal for bells, known as bell metal.
– Professional cymbals are made from bronze, commonly B20 bronze.
– Singing bowls, made from annealed bronze, are still produced in the Himalayas.
– Chinese bells, such as the Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng, were made from bronze.
– Bronze provides a desirable balance of durability and timbre for musical instruments.
– Bronze is used for architectural elements, such as door handles and decorative accents.
– It is used in the production of medals, plaques, and commemorative coins.
– Bronze is utilized in the manufacturing of plumbing fixtures and fittings.
– It is used for jewelry, including rings, bracelets, and pendants.
– Bronze is used in the production of decorative art pieces, such as sculptures and figurines.
Other Bronze Alloys
– Other bronze alloys include aluminum bronze, phosphor bronze, manganese bronze, bell metal, arsenical bronze, speculum metal, bismuth bronze, and cymbal alloys.
– Aluminum bronze is an alloy with aluminum as the main alloying element.
– Phosphor bronze is an alloy with phosphorus as the main alloying element.
– Manganese bronze is an alloy with manganese as the main alloying element.
– Bell metal is an alloy used for its resonant qualities in making bells.
Biblical References to Bronze and Bronze in Coins and Medals
– The Hebrew word ‘nehoshet’ is used to refer to copper and its alloys, including bronze.
– Bronze was extensively used in the Tabernacle, including for the bronze altar and bronze laver.
– Moses held up a bronze snake on a pole, as mentioned in Numbers.
– Hiram was skilled in working with bronze and made furnishings for Solomon’s Temple.
– Bronze was used as battle armor and helmets, as seen in the battle of David and Goliath.
– Most copper coins are actually made of bronze, with tin and zinc content.
– Bronze medals have been awarded for third place in sporting competitions.
– The term ‘bronze’ is now used to represent third place even when no actual bronze medal is awarded.
– The usage of gold, silver, and bronze to represent different ages in Greek mythology influenced the use of bronze for medals.
– Bronze is commonly used for plaquettes, rectangular works of art with relief scenes. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such as arsenic or silicon. These additions produce a range of alloys that may be harder than copper alone, or have other useful properties, such as strength, ductility, or machinability.
The archaeological period in which bronze was the hardest metal in widespread use is known as the Bronze Age. The beginning of the Bronze Age in western Eurasia and India is conventionally dated to the mid-4th millennium BC (~3500 BC), and to the early 2nd millennium BC in China; elsewhere it gradually spread across regions. The Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age starting about 1300 BC and reaching most of Eurasia by about 500 BC, although bronze continued to be much more widely used than it is in modern times.
Because historical artworks were often made of brasses (copper and zinc) and bronzes with different compositions, modern museum and scholarly descriptions of older artworks increasingly use the generalized term "copper alloy" instead.
