Chemical Composition: XRF data from Tracer
Alloy: Bronze
Alloying Elements: copper, tin
Other Elements: lead, iron, silver, antimony, arsenic
Comments: The cheekpiece and the bit have the same elements.
K. Eremin, January 2014
Chemical Composition: EMP analysis from sample (right side), Bronze:
Cu, 93.62; Sn, 4.93; Pb, 0.01; Zn, 0.00; Fe, 0.04; Ni, 0.16; Ag, 0.03; Sb, 0.02; As, 0.07
EMP analysis from sample (left side), Bronze:
Cu, 93.64; Sn, 4.44; Pb, 0.02; Zn, 0.00; Fe, 0.00; Ni, 0.19; Ag, 0.04; Sb, 0.02; As, 0.07
T. Richardson, June 1999
Technical Observations: The patina is dark green and red. There is some porosity, and minor casting flaws in the head and neck of the horses are visible.
The object is a solid lost-wax cast. Each horse has a rounded head and raised prongs on the reverse that were formed with the original model. The tail, loops, collar, and raised area on the bit were added to the original wax model, as opposed to being formed in a mold. It is possible, however, that the main shape of each horse was modeled in a one-sided mold by pressing or pouring in wax, at which point the raised prongs and other features were added to the model, and then the model was cast. As such, the cheek pieces may have been produced using a combination of the indirect and direct lost-wax methods. There is no evidence of wear from the bit.
Tracy Richardson (submitted 1999)