Bronze was a prized metal in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. It is an alloy of copper and tin and its production requires smelters at temperatures above 1 500 degrees Celsius. It is unlikely to have been produced accidentally by mixing copper and tin rock around campfires. Although it was plentiful in use, appearing inside burial chambers, as art and household items, no smelter remains have been found in Egypt. Bronze must be distinguished from brass. Brass is composed of copper and zinc, whereas bronze is formed from copper and tin. Copper is a relatively soft metal, but the addition of tin and zinc makes it more robust. Egyptian bronze presents an enigma. There are no tin mines in Egypt and
