
4 0 c m
35cm
actual image size: 27cm x 32cm
Description
A bras double-sided comb with curved ends decorated with a chased pattern depicting scenes from a seraglio. A seraglio was a harem, usually found in a Muslim imperial palace, where the closely guarded women of the household would reside. Bras is an alloy of copper and zinc. Bras which contains a proportion of les than 36% zinc is ductile when cold and can be easily worked into complex shapes. A proportion of zinc greater than 36% makes a harder and stronger alloy. The earliest bras was made by the Ancient Greeks, probably around 330 BC, but the Romans were the first to produce the alloy in any quantity.
Image Details
Image Ref.
10305825
© Science Museum / Science & Society Picture Library