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Metals of Antiquity

Name the seven metals of antiquity. Until the discovery of arsenic in the 13th century, these were the only pure elemental metals known to man.
No alloys, or elemental metals found only in alloys
Quiz by interopia
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Last updated: May 16, 2017
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First submittedJanuary 27, 2017
Times taken63,079
Average score71.4%
Rating4.95
1:30
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Metal
Copper
Gold
Iron
Lead
Metal
Mercury
Silver
Tin
+4
Level 85
Nov 3, 2021
+11
Level 81
Jan 27, 2017
Very interesting fact!
+3
Level 81
Jan 27, 2017
What about bronze? It's not a metallic element but it's still a metal.
+68
Level 66
Jan 27, 2017
It's an alloy... Should you accept that, there would be endless answers in this quiz.
+35
Level 86
Jan 27, 2017
Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
+3
Level 85
Nov 3, 2021
+5
Level 86
Jan 27, 2017
I am not really sure about zinc (and thus brass). Maybe it was not known as a simple body but I'm pretty sure it was part of ancient alloys.
+6
Level 86
Jan 27, 2017
Zinc needs to be here. Brass has been produced for 5000 years or so...
+8
Level 85
Jan 27, 2017
"To date, the oldest evidence of pure zinc comes from Zawar, in Rajasthan, as early as the 9th century AD when a distillation process was employed to make pure zinc." So, zinc only existed as an alloy before that.
+1
Level 86
Jan 28, 2017
I wonder how they could make brass before. Anyway, maybe you should rewrite the description, this is anterior to the 13th century (and arsenic is not quite a metal either).
+7
Level 85
Jan 28, 2017
I found this: "Although forms of brass have been in use since prehistory, its true nature as a copper-zinc alloy was not understood until the post medieval period because the zinc vapor which reacted with copper to make brass was not recognized as a metal."
+1
Level 66
May 15, 2017
Huh, interesting that it's defined that way if Zinc was known to be an element before Arsenic was.
+1
Level 56
Jan 10, 2020
I am glad to know that name of a metal is taken from a place from my motherland!!!
+1
Level 56
Jan 10, 2020
Also i liked that you can also answer by their symbol...
+3
Level 21
Jan 29, 2017
Cool Quiz :)
+1
Level 59
Apr 7, 2017
Is mercury a metal? Isn't metal in solid state in room temperature?
+12
Level 85
Apr 25, 2017
Yes, and sometimes!
+13
Level 82
May 15, 2017
being a solid is not a requirement to be a metal. And what is "room temperature?" Depending on where your room is located you could see all of these metals in liquid form.
+18
Level 48
May 15, 2017
The definition of "room temperature" is almost always accepted as 20° C, regardless of where the actual room is.
+4
Level 82
May 16, 2017
You missed the point.
+2
Level 44
Sep 26, 2023
You're just being an insufferable pedant
+2
Level 61
May 15, 2017
Definition of metal

a solid material which is typically hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, and ductile, with good electrical and thermal conductivity (e.g. iron, gold, silver, and aluminium, and alloys such as steel).

A metal doesn't have to be a certain state of matter, it just has to have those traits.

+3
Level 33
May 17, 2017
1. Mercury is a metal. Its actually the only known metal that stays liquid in the room temperature

2. Playing with words sounds funny but with all seriousness room temperature is an internationally recognized term and ranges roughly between 15 C and 25 C. Details are below;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_temperature

+2
Level 67
Aug 23, 2021
So according to you melted iron or gold is not a metal?
+3
Level 65
Apr 24, 2017
I have no idea what this quiz is about, but I just got 100% guessing random metals.
+3
Level 37
Sep 9, 2021
Antiquity is like Ancient Greece or Rome
+2
Level 61
May 15, 2017
Elemental history lesson for you people wondering why Zinc isn't here.

Although Brass was used for centuries beforehand, Zinc itself wasn't discovered until the eighteenth century.

+2
Level 55
May 15, 2017
Although it's not a well established historical fact (in the sense of ancient writings specifically talking about gold, tin and copper), it is believed that Antimony (Sb) was isolated in ancient times, and may have been formed into small ornaments. FYI
+2
Level 32
Sep 21, 2022
Antimony is widely considered a metalloid, though. It is not a true metal.
+2
Level 51
May 17, 2017
Cool quiz
+8
Level 69
May 22, 2017
No Heavy Metal?
+3
Level 66
Jan 4, 2019
only black metal
+1
Level 89
Nov 3, 2021
Metal Gear?
+1
Level 68
Nov 16, 2022
lead isn't heavy enough ?
+10
Level 73
Aug 21, 2017
Cuprum, aurum, ferrum, plumbum, hydragyrum, argentum, stannum.
+5
Level 68
May 2, 2020
Yes, you just need to think of all the metals with funny symbols.
+3
Level 85
May 2, 2020
Good point! :)
+1
Level 78
Oct 7, 2022
Like tungsten and potassium.
+2
Level 78
Oct 6, 2020
I like it Spidey.
+1
Level 9
Jul 8, 2018
nice quiz, zinc?
+1
Level 85
Oct 26, 2018
Discussed above
+2
Level 51
Mar 20, 2024
every time i see a comment asking the same question that was discussed in detail above I get this zincing feeling.
+2
Level 45
Oct 30, 2018
shoulda guessed mercury. darn
+1
Level 75
Apr 28, 2020
It's ok but there's only 1 answer which differs from the Elements Mentioned in the Bible quiz and I think that one was done first but I'm not sure
+1
Level 56
Apr 28, 2020
Oo there is always one I can't get in these quizzes! Argh
+1
Level 59
Apr 28, 2020
Have to thank Time Team (UK) for my knowledge of ancient metals!
+4
Level 78
Aug 27, 2021
You're missing Mithril. Otherwise great quiz! (-wink-)
+1
Level 34
Nov 3, 2021
I misread it as meals…..
+1
Level 42
Nov 3, 2021
what about tungsten????
+1
Level 85
Nov 3, 2021
It was identified as a new element in 1781 and first isolated as a metal in 1783. Not ancient times.