Chemical Composition: XRF data from Tracer
Alloy: Leaded Bronze
Alloying Elements: copper, tin
Other Elements: iron
K. Eremin, January 2014
Technical Observations: The surface is a beautiful smooth green patina, with some losses and deformations showing areas of bare, coppery-looking metal. Small losses have occurred to the edges and to the interior.
The thin disc was probably cast—a trace of a dendrite is visible under the microscope in the area of deformation and surface loss—and then hammered to create the thin flat sheet. The outer edge was cut by a series of punches, portions of which are still visible. The outer edge also has two opposing U-shaped notches cut out of the metal. There is a smaller circle of punched holes, some of which have caused a tear. The center of the disc has a punched hole with a smaller punched hole approximately halfway between the center hole and the inner punched circle. The reverse side of the disc features a sketchily inscribed, nearly equilateral triangle with a series of three evenly spaced and roughly parallel lines inscribed in one direction and three unevenly spaced and roughly parallel lines inscribed in another direction.
Carol Snow (submitted 2002)
