The fascinating story of orichalcum, the precious metal of the ancient world

Have you ever heard of it? orichalcum? Well, know that it is one of the most valuable metals known and, according to legends, was used on the fictional island of Atlantis. But everything that has been discovered about this material to date is still unknown.

Surrounded by mystery, orichalcum was widely used in Greece and Rome to decorate temples and melt coins, but disappeared from Earth more than a thousand years ago.

What is orichalcum?

Quoted Critias, From one of the last dialogues written by the Greek philosopher Plato, orichalcum appears to be a potentially very valuable metal made from an alloy of copper and zinc; it was just less valuable than gold. Already AeneidThe poet wrote by Virgil that the breastplate of the main antagonist Turnus was completely covered with orichalcum, which clearly reveals his strength.

The name of this metal is a literal translation from Greek of a term meaning “mountain copper” or “mountain metal”. The strange thing is that centuries later orichalcum continues to be shrouded in mystery. It was first mentioned in the 7th century BC and has been described as a gold metal with almost supernatural properties. It is claimed that the walls of the Temple of Poseidon, located in the center of Atlantis, were covered with orichalcum.

For centuries, historians were unsure whether orichalcum actually existed or was a collective invention. In addition to Plato, philosopher Cicero also mentioned him in his work. official authorities, inside He writes that the alloy is so similar to gold that people often confuse the two metals. After that, word about him apparently disappeared from the Earth.

Current discoveries

But in 2015, dozens of metal blocks were found by researchers in 2,600-year-old wreckage from a shipwreck off the coast of Sicily. The biggest suspicion was that this material might end up being orichalcum. However, chemical analysis revealed that the metal in these ingots was an alloy of copper and zinc that was very similar to brass. The material consisted of 75% to 80% copper, 15% to 20% zinc, as well as some traces of nickel, lead, and iron.

Metal blocks found in a sunken ship near Sicily, as well as ancient Romans dating back to B.C. There are also some archaeological finds that they used to cast coins from 45 BC. These items were made of zinc and copper but have survived to this day. There is no certainty that it is the same alloy mentioned in Greek texts from the same period.

Although the Greeks and Romans frequently mentioned orichalcum, there are still doubts as to whether the authors were talking about the same metal. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of orichalcum is that it is related to another mystery: the legendary island of Atlantis.

The mystery of Atlantis

The island of Atlântida is a fictional place mentioned in the works. Timaeus And Critias, It was written by the philosopher Plato. In fact, scientists say that talking about the arrogance of the nations would be an allegory created by him, since the civilization on the island would provoke the anger of the gods. Therefore, the city was destroyed and sank into the ocean.

In Plato’s stories, Atlantis is described as a maritime empire that supposedly ruled all the western regions of the known world, giving it an image that is the exact opposite of the Achaemenid Empire. Since Plato depicted Athens in his work as similar to his own ideal state Republic, The story of Atlantis was intended to refer to the superiority of the State concept.

According to Plato, the island would have been larger than Libya and Asia combined, or at least from what was known about these regions in his time. Atlantis would have been very rich because it contained large amounts of orichalcum. To this day, many people believe in the real existence of Atlantis and argue that it may still be a lost city and that the precious metal alloy may be another key to getting there.

In his passages about the island, Plato states that orichalcum was “unearthed in many parts of the island” and “was more valuable than anything except gold at that time.” He also writes about the Temple of Poseidon in Atlantis: “(It) shone with the red light of orichalcum… The whole exterior of the temple, except the tops, was covered with silver, and the tops were covered with gold. The roof inside the temple was of ivory; all over it was curiously gold, “It was wrought with silver and orichalcum; every other part, the walls, the pillars, and the floor, were covered with orichalcum.”

It is known that Atlantis never existed, but there are many people who argue that orichalcum is real. To this day, researchers continue to debate whether the metal found on coins in Ancient Rome was actually the famous material so valued by the Greeks.