Iron

With the exception of three of the five somewhat amorphous pieces that are catalogued as “ingots” (see Ingot Studies in this website), the Fe-content of Hissar copper-based artifacts is generally low (i.e., <0.26%). Most likely its presence is in part a measure of the density of silicate inclusions in the metal, some of those inclusions being remnants of slag picked up during the original smelting of the copper ore.

Phase I: 
Range: 0.012%–0.26% (n=22) 
Mean: 0.035% ± 0.011% (1 standard error) 
Highest As-level: Pin shaft (inv. 89-00-010) 
(Illustrated as line art only, in Phase I)

Phase II: 
Range: 0.012%–0.24% (n=31) 
Mean: 0.035% ± 0.008% (1 standard error) 
Highest As-level: Pendant (inv. 33-22-543) 
(Illustrated above: see Arsenic)

Phase III: 
Range: 0.014%–0.14% (n=43) 
Mean: 0.036% ± 0.004% (1 standard error) 
Highest As-level: Spearhead (inv. 33-21-908) 
(Illustrated as line art only, in Phase III)