Electrum

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:Histamenon nomisma-Alexius I-sb1776.jpg

Electrum is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, with trace amounts of copper and other metals. Color ranges from pale to bright yellow, depending on the proportions of gold and silver.

Electrum was used in as early as the third millennium BCE in Old Kingdom Egypt, sometimes as an exterior coating to the pyramidions atop ancient Egyptian pyramids [1].

Electrum was also used in the making of ancient drinking vessels and coins.

[edit]

Composition

Electrum consists primarily of gold and silver but is sometimes found with traces of copper and other metals. As a result, electrum is usually a good conductor of electricity.

Analysis of the electrum composition in ancient Greek coinage dating from 600 BC showed that the gold composition was 55.5% in archaic Phocaea. In the early classical period the gold composition of electrum ranged from 46% in Phokaia to 43% in Mytilene. In later coinage from these areas, dating to 326 BC, the gold composition averaged 40% to 41%.

Due to the variety of nature, the silver component of electrum may vary in quantities of 40% to 60%.

[edit]

Appearance

The color of electrum is pale yellow or yellowish-white and the name is a Latinized form of the Greek word ηλεκτρον (elektron) mentioned in the Odyssey meaning a metallic substance consisting of gold alloyed with silver. The same word was also used for the substance amber, probably because of the pale yellow color of certain varieties.

Electrum was often referred to as white gold in ancient times but could be more accurately described as 'pale gold'. The modern use of the term white gold usually concerns gold, silver and palladium alloys.

[edit]

History

Electrum is mentioned in an expedition sent by Pharaoh Sahure of the Fifth dynasty of Egypt (see Sahure).

Electrum is believed to have been used in coins circa 600 BC in Lydia under the reign of Alyattes, infrequently referred to as Alyattes II as a result of a possible previous king Alyattes, though it's far from certain that this figure was a king of Lydia or even existed.

Electrum was much better for coinage than gold, mostly because it was harder and more durable, but also because techniques for refining gold were not widespread at the time.

In Lydia, 14.1g of electrum was made into one 'stater' (meaning "Standard"). A 'stater' was worth 168 grains of wheat, or around one month's pay for a soldier. To complement the 'stater', fractions were made, the 'trite' (third), the hekte, (sixth), and so forth, including 1/24 of a 'stater', and even down to 1/48th and 1/96th of a 'stater'. The 1/96 stater was only about 0.14-0.15 of a gram, so its worth calculates to around one and three-quarter grains of wheat.

Due to the variety of electrum's composition, it was rather difficult to determine the exact worth of each coin. Widespread trading was somewhat hampered by this, as a foreign merchant would offer rather poor rates on local Electrum coin.

These difficulties were eliminated in 570 BC when pure silver coins were introduced. However, Electrum currency remained fairly popular until approximately 350 BC. The simplest reasoning for this would be that, due to the gold content, one 14.1g 'stater' would be worth as much as ten 14.1g silver pieces.

[edit]

In fiction

In the fictional Star Wars universe, Jedi Master Mace Windu wielded a rare lightsaber made of electrum. These special lightsabers could only be created by senior members of the Jedi Council, but electrum's effect on the lightsaber (if any) is unknown. The Sith Lord Darth Sidious also constructed a lightsaber made of electrum.

A naturally-occurring golden alloy named electrum featured in the Transformers episode, The Golden Lagoon, but featured the additional unusual property of rendering Transformers immune to damage when coated in it.

Before 3rd Edition, an electrum coin (electrum piece) was worth 5 silver pieces (half a gold piece) in the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game.

The Terry Pratchett book Pyramids (Discworld) features an Electrum-plated Pyramidion that was used in a failed attempt to "flare off" the time stored in a magical pyramid. l

[edit]

In music

There is a band called Electrum, from Edinburgh. They play indie guitar pop with a female singer, and have released a single, "Like I Said" EP on the tiny indie label Unpopular Records (Pipettes, Smoosh!, The Clientele). They have rereleased this EP themselves to accompany their second record, "Whatever Happens, Happens" EP, available to order now. Plan B said "melancholy femme-pop, lush and shimmering with MBV promise" and FACT said "A female-led journey through pop... Electrum should be turning up on a Sophia Coppola score near you".

[edit]