Hierarchy classification:

1. top of the aat hierarchies
2. Materials Facet
3. Materials (hierarchy name)
4. materials (substances)
5. [materials by composition]
6. inorganic material
7. metal
8. [metal by composition or origin]
9. nonferrous metal
10. [copper and copper alloy]
11. copper alloy
12. brass (alloy)

Anotations

Scope note:

Brass (a copper-zinc alloy) that is rich in zinc; it is easy to cast, is ductile, and has a golden color. It was notably used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. According to legend, it was mined in Atlantis in ancient times. It used for jewelry and, according to Plato, to line the outer walls of the Temple to Poseidon on Atlantis. By Roman times, the alloy was used for coinage and jewelry. It is likely that references to the material have historically referred to various yellow metals or alloys, for example, perhaps to a naturally occurring alloy of copper and gold.