a Joint team made up of specialists of the University of Warwick (UK) and University of Ghent (Belgium), conducted x-ray analysis of artifacts from the favourite warship of Henry VIII. He showed that the armor of the warriors five hundred years ago were made of an alloy similar to modern compositions.
a report on the work published on the website of the University of Warwick. Modern x-ray equipment helped to study the artifacts found in the last century on Board the “Mary rose”. It was the favourite warship of king Henry VIII, so named, presumably, in honour of Mary Tudor. He sank on 19 July 1545 in the Strait of Te-Solent during a battle with the French.
In 1982 the ship was raised from the bottom. 19 today, along with thousands of artifacts stored in the Museum of the Mary rose in Portsmouth. For the analysis the researchers selected samples, which presumably are remnants of chain mail.
the Study showed that these rings were not made of pure copper, as previously assumed, and of the alloy which in its composition was almost identical to modern alloys. Found that 73 per cent of it consisted of copper and 27 per cent, of zinc.
“the Results show that during Tudor times, manufacturing of brass were also established and were controlled well enough and methods such as wire drawing, was perfectly well known, says Professor Emeritus mark Dowsett. Brass imported from the Ardennes, and made in Isleworth. I was surprised at a stable level of zinc content of the wire links is quite a modern composition for this alloy.”
Also, an analysis was conducted of highest sensitivity. He revealed in the samples traces of heavy metals such as lead and gold. However, scientists believe that heavy metals were not part of the alloy from which were made the armor.
Probably, these inclusions came to the surface layers of links chain mail as accidental impurities. For example, the master in those days could use the same tools for the processing of gold and lead, and brass processing.
the Researchers took into account and the possible impact of past centuries. Suffice it to recall the Second world war, during which the area where the ship sank “Mary rose”, was subjected to massive bombing. Particles modern metals could merge with the particles of metals are more ancient.
in addition, mercury, lead and arsenic could get to the bottom of the sea from coastal rivers, which, in turn, came from cities over the past century.
the Full study report can be found in the journal of Synchrotron Radiation.
