Study of an Etruscan object composed of three metals

This paper reports the results of preliminary research carried out on one of the many metal objects from excavations in the Sanctuary of Pyrgi (Santa Severa, Rome) near the port of Caere (Cerveteri), one of the main towns of Southern Etruria. The metal object, found in the southern area of the sanctuary consists of a cylinder, perhaps a handle, originally part of an object of indefinite shape and function. It consists of three different layers of metal: a central ferrous rectangular rod (10 x 8 mm), surrounded by a thick lead alloy ring 21 mm in diameter, and a 2-mm outer layer of copper alloy. SEM+EDS analyses were carried out on the three components. It seems probable that the outer copper alloy sleeve was produced first. The inner iron rod was set in position and the Pb-Sn alloy was then cast to fix all three parts of the object together. The ferrous rod was produced by deformation resulting from heating. Pb- and Cu-bearing alloys were cast in temperature ranges of, respectively, 350-300°C and llOO-800°C.