Chemical Composition: ICP-MS/AAA data from sample, Bronze:
Cu, 80.27; Sn, 17.69; Pb, 1.57; Zn, 0.002; Fe, 0.04; Ni, 0.04; Ag, 0.11; Sb, 0.05; As, 0.23; Bi, less than 0.025; Co, less than 0.01; Au, less than 0.01; Cd, less than 0.001
J. Riederer
Chemical Composition: XRF data from Artax 1
Alloy: Bronze
Alloying Elements: copper, tin
Other Elements: lead, iron, arsenic
K. Eremin, January 2014
Technical Observations: The patina is green over a thin black layer. There are large areas of perfectly preserved exposed white metal. The color of the metal may be indicative of the high tin content of the alloy. The surface is well preserved. The central pin is lost.
As with the other Luristan finials, the irregular and fluid character of the design elements indicates direct work in the wax model. The wax would have been worked over a central cylindrical core, providing an open area for the tube or pin used to secure the finial to a support (see 2005.78.A-C).
All of the “Master of Animals” finials are heavier and have thicker walls than the finials that depict only animals, and this one is particularly thick and solid. The wall thickness of this finial varies from 2 to 5 mm. The crisp incised decorative lines were cold worked on the metal surface. The broader grooves show fine striations indicating that they were cut abrasively or using a file-like edge.
Henry Lie (submitted 2012)
