Mycenæ: a narrative of researches and discoveries at Mycenæ and TirynsSchliemann, Heinrich
History
Mycenæ: a narrative of researches and discoveries at Mycenæ and Tiryns
Schliemann, Heinrich
Mycenae (Extinct city); Tiryns (Extinct city)
One side was chiefly incrusted with irregular patches of dull earthy
non-crystalline matter, of varying shades of green and brown, which
were found to consist of green carbonate and oxychloride of copper in
different proportions; a few minute pale green needle-like crystals
were noticed on the other surface; there were also observed irregular
thin layers or patches of green (found to be green carbonate of copper,
in some places containing more or less of oxychloride of copper) and
blue crystals (found to be blue carbonate of copper) of varying tints
and lustre. One end of the specimen was covered with a dark green crust
with a velvety lustre, which was found to consist of minute transparent
crystals of oxychloride of copper; the opposite end, which was flat, and
had the appearance of having been cut or rubbed, was chiefly coated with
deep red non-crystalline red oxide of copper; and a depression on the
surface was lined with the dark green velvety crust; on the edges, where
the outer part of the crust had been broken off, was a dull white opaque
layer of peroxide of tin, and on either side of it were layers of dark
red compact red oxide of copper, having cavities here and there filled
with ruby-red brilliant transparent crystals of the same substance. When
the outer incrustation had been subsequently removed, these substances
were found to extend more or less over the surface underneath.
The specimen was cut across in the centre when portions of the
incrustation were detached; by this means the structure of the specimen,
and the nature of the substances forming the incrustation, could be well
observed. The substances were generally found to occur in the following
order, from within outwards.
I.--Solid metal.
II.--Particles of metal resembling filings, tarnished on the
surface, and intermixed more or less with a dull greenish-grey
substance, which was found to contain chlorine, copper, and tin.
III.--A pale green dull soft compact layer, which was found to
consist chiefly of carbonate of copper, containing chlorine,
probably in combination as oxychloride of copper, and a little
peroxide of tin.
IV.--Red oxide of copper, varying in colour from brick-red to
dark red, compact, dull and opaque, and in part crystalline.
V.--Peroxide of tin: examined under the microscope it was found
to be veined with minute thin layers of red oxide of copper.
VI.--Red oxide of copper similar in character to No. IV.
VII.--Irregular patches of amorphous and crystalline substances
of various shades of green, blue, and brown, as before described.
The above order of superposition was not always observed; thus, in some
places there was a layer of red oxide of copper in No. III.
When the incrustation had been removed by sawing the specimen across the
middle, and filing, the metal was found to be very sound and free from
cavities. The fracture was yellowish copper red, and finely granular.
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