Hepatizon Facts: Learn About One Of The Most Valuable Alloys
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Hepatizon was a black Corinthian bronze named after the Greek term 'hepar,' which means 'liver.'
In ancient times, such as during the Roman Empire, hepatizon was a highly expensive metal alloy. It is considered to be a copper alloy along with 8% gold and 8% silver.
In Latin, it is referred to as aes and in Greek, it is known as χαλκός. These ingredients are mixed and processed to produce a dark purple material that resembles the colour of the liver. Hepatizon is referenced in various classical texts.
History And Discovery
Talking about its history and origin, hepatizon was the second most precious form of brass or bronze known in ancient times. Work compiled by Pliny the Elder, known as 'Natural History', has survived since the Roman Empire, and describes the alloy, suggesting that it is less precious than Corinthian bronze.
It comprises a high amount of silver or gold and thus resembled precious metals. It was valued before bronze from Aegina and Delos.
This is described as a prestigious material in ancient sources, and it appears to have survived in a number of statuettes made with the distinctive dark color. The Roman author Pliny claims that the process of manufacturing the material, similar to that of Corinthian bronze, was forgotten.
Outside of Europe, identical alloys can be found. Shakud is a Japanese copper and gold with a distinctive dark blue and purple tarnish. Hepatizon is also referenced in John Murray's 1875 'A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities'.
Characteristics
Hepatizon is frequently associated with extraordinary durability or magical properties, making it a natural fit for pulp fiction metals like adamantium from the X-Men comics and mithril from Tolkien's epic trilogy 'The Lord Of The Rings'.
A variety of ores can be processed into hepatizon. Hepatizon is found in small amounts in many iron ore sources, and it is said to be sieved out of molten iron during processing via magical techniques.
Applications
Hepatizon alloy has become a feature of numerous fictional works, commonly assigned as a metal utilized for the forging of, or the accentuation of hand-held bladed weaponry or armor, due to its relative mystery.
Because gold is found as grains and chunks, it is a highly malleable metal that does not require smelting and may be turned into thin sheets by simple hammering. As a result, this gold alloy was simple to use to decorate a wide range of surfaces.
Use In Chemistry
Tumbaga, a copper and gold alloy, was widely utilized in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and had an almost identical composition to Corinthian brass.
Its chemistry applications are based on the fact that an identical metallurgy procedure for 'gold coloration' is mentioned in the 15th recipe in the Leyden papyrus X, which dates from the fourth century AD and comes from Thebes, Egypt.
FAQs
How do you get hepatizon?
Hepatizon was a copper alloy with silver and gold dust mixed together.
What color is hepatizon?
Hepatizon is dark purple.
Where is hepatizon used?
It was commonly used in magic items and magic weapons.
Which process is involved while making hepatizon?
Its composition was a mystery but according to some sources, Corinthian bronze is produced using a process that includes quenching, heat treatment, burnishing, and leaching.
Is hepatizon valuable?
In classical antiquity, it was a highly valuable alloy.
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Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinthian_bronze
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/orichalca-queex/a/hepatizon-article
http://www.coinandbullionpages.com/gold-alloys/hepatizon.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatizon
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