Chemical Composition: ICP-MS/AAA data from sample, Bronze:
Cu, 91.71; Sn, 7.78; Pb, 0.06; Zn, 0.002; Fe, 0.02; Ni, 0.07; Ag, 0.02; Sb, 0.06; As, 0.28; Bi, less than 0.025; Co, 0.011; 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
Comments: There is no tin in the red corroded areas, which are cuprite.
K. Eremin, January 2014
Chemical Composition: EMP analysis from sample, Bronze:
Cu, 91.80; Sn, 5.89; Pb, 0.05; Zn, 0.00; Fe, 0.03; Ni, 0.06; Ag, 0.01; Sb, 0.03; As, 0.14
T. Richardson, June 1999
Technical Observations: The patina is dark green with small areas of red. There are smooth areas of brown where the surface was cleaned down to expose redder oxide layers. There are light brown burial accretions in many recessed areas. There are traces of a gray core material and brown dirt inside the tube. The surface is well preserved.
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). Although the surface is well preserved, it is difficult to tell if the finer incised lines made in the wax were enhanced by cold working in the metal. There is a minor flaw and a blind crack on the hindquarters of one of the felines.
Henry Lie and Tracy Richardson (submitted 1999, updated 2012)
