5. Manufacture of Asem.
Tin,
12 drachmas; mercury, 4 drachmas; earth of Chios, 2 drachmas. To the
melted tin, add the crushed earth, then the mercury, stir with an iron,
and put {the product) in use.
The "earth of Chios" mentioned here was a kind of clay.
6. The Doubling of Asem.
One
takes: refined copper, 40 drachmas; asem, 8 drachmas; tin in buttons,
40 drachmas; one first melts the copper and after two heatings, the
tin; then the asem. When all are softened, remelt several times and
cool by means of the preceding composition. After having augmented the
metal by these proceedings, clean it with talc. The tripling is
effected by the same procedure, the weights being proportioned in
conformity with what has been stated above.
The preceding composition referred to in this recipe apparently refers to No. 5.
7. Inexhaustible Stock.
It
is prepared by the procedures described in the doubling of asem. If you
wish to deduct 8 drachmas from the stock, separate them and remelt with
4 drachmas of this same asem; melt these three times and then repeat,
then cool and place in reserve in the talc.
8. Manufacture of Asem.
Take
soft tin in small pieces, purified four times; take 4 parts of it and 3
parts of pure white copper and 1 part of asem. Melt, and after the
casting, clean several times and make with it whatever you wish to. It
will be asem of the first quality, which will deceive even the artisans.
The
term, "white copper," refers to a particular copper alloy. A single
word "Aes" was applied by the Ancients to both pure copper and its
alloys.
9. Manufacture of Fusible Asem.
Copper
of Cyprus, 1 mina; tin in sticks, 1 mina; stone of Magnesia, 16
drachmas; mercury, 8 drachmas, stone of Paros, 20 drachmas. Having
melted the copper, throw the tin on it, then the stone of Magnesia in
powdered form, then the stone of Paros, and finally the mercury; stir
with an iron rod and pour at the desired time.
The
island of Cyprus was an important source of copper in ancient times and
the metal from this source was considered then to be of superior
quality. "Stone of Paros" is mentioned by Pliny as being a white, hard
stone similar to the marble from this place.
10. Doubling of Asem.
Take
refined copper of Cyprus, throw upon it equal parts, that is, 4
drachmas of salt of Ammon and 4 drachmas of alum; melt and add equal
parts of asem.
11. Manufacture of Asem.
Purify
lead carefully with pitch and bitumen, or tin as well; and mix cadmia
and litharge in equal parts with the lead, and stir until the alloy is
completed and solidifies. It can be used like natural asem.
The
word "cadmia" was applied to condensed fumes and smoke gathered from
the interior of copper and brass smelters and hence was often a complex
mixture of metallic oxides. In a special sense it meant zinc oxide.
"Natural asem" was the naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver
known as electrum.
