Scatterplot for 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)